Toyyibat Qasim
Former senator and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senatorial candidate for Ogun Central, Iyabo Obasanjo, has urged Nigerians to assess political candidates based on their performance, track records and commitment to public service rather than party affiliations alone.
Obasanjo made the call during a television interview with TVC, where she explained her return to active politics after a 14-to-15-year break spent pursuing an academic career.
The professor of epidemiology also spoke about her decision to return to the PDP, her previous political engagements and her ambition to represent Ogun Central in the Senate ahead of the 2027 general elections.
She maintained that voters should focus on the capacity of individual candidates to improve their lives, arguing that a politician’s commitment to public service should remain central to electoral choices.
During the interview, Obasanjo declined to openly endorse a preferred presidential candidate for the 2027 election, explaining that taking a position on the presidential contest could create confusion among voters assessing her senatorial ambition.
Her response highlighted the distinction between the presidential and senatorial elections, with the former senator directing attention to her bid to return to the National Assembly.
She suggested that her candidacy should be assessed on its own merits, including her previous record in public office and her commitment to addressing the needs of her constituents.
Explaining the circumstances surrounding her return to elective politics, Obasanjo said her decision followed an appeal by about 30 community members who approached her and encouraged her to return to public service.
According to her, the individuals were not members of her family but people who independently believed she could make further contributions to society through political representation.
She said their sincerity and accounts of how her previous interventions had positively affected their lives made a strong impression on her and prompted her to reconsider her decision to remain outside active politics.
The former senator said the encounter reinforced her belief that her previous work had made a lasting impact on some members of the public, who wanted her to resume the responsibility of representing them.
Her account, she explained, formed part of the motivation behind her decision to seek another mandate in Ogun Central after years away from elective office.
On what she intended to do differently if elected to the Senate, Obasanjo said her approach to public service remained anchored in the same values that had guided her previous political engagements and academic career.
She explained that her longstanding priority had been to help people improve their circumstances, achieve their potential and contribute meaningfully to society.
According to her, this commitment informed both her work in public office and her activities in academia.
Obasanjo cited her previous interventions in the health sector, including the management of grants and hospital renovation projects, as examples of efforts aimed at delivering practical benefits to communities.
She maintained that her return to politics was not about abandoning her previous approach for a new political identity but continuing what she described as a longstanding commitment to improving people’s lives.
The former senator presented her experience in public service as part of the basis on which voters should assess her renewed ambition to represent Ogun Central.
Obasanjo also explained the political developments that preceded her return to the PDP, recalling that she joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) when she sought the governorship ticket in Ogun State.
She said she subsequently returned to the PDP to pursue her ambition of representing Ogun Central in the Senate.
Recounting her experience during the APC governorship process, she said she was the only candidate who immediately congratulated the winner of the party’s consensus process.
Her political journey reflects the changes in party affiliation that can accompany politicians’ ambitions for different elective offices.
Obasanjo, however, maintained that her movement between political parties had not altered her underlying commitment to public service.
She argued that her desire to contribute to societal development remained constant, regardless of the political platform through which she sought to achieve it.
Obasanjo’s comments come as political activities gradually gather momentum ahead of the 2027 general elections, with attention expected to focus increasingly on candidates’ records, party platforms and campaign promises.
Her position raises a key question about the relationship between party loyalty and individual performance in Nigeria’s electoral system.
Although political parties provide the platforms through which candidates contest elections, voters also have the opportunity to assess their experience, accessibility, policy priorities and capacity to represent their interests.
For candidates seeking legislative positions, these considerations include their ability to make laws, conduct effective oversight of government institutions, advocate constituency interests and contribute to policies that improve citizens’ welfare.
The Ogun Central senatorial contest will therefore provide an opportunity for voters to weigh the candidates’ political affiliations against their individual records and proposals for the constituency.
For Obasanjo, her return to the PDP and renewed senatorial ambition are anchored in what she describes as a continuing commitment to public service.
She said the appeal from community members, her previous interventions and her experience in academia had reinforced her decision to return to politics.
As the 2027 elections approach, the former senator is seeking to convince voters that her experience and commitment to improving lives provide compelling reasons to support her bid to return to the Senate.
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