Fawaz Adebisi
Former Ogun State governorship aspirant and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate for the Ogun Central Senatorial District, Prof. Iyabo Obasanjo, has declared an all-out political battle against Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, accusing him of betrayal, dishonesty and lacking integrity.
Speaking during an interactive session with journalists in Abeokuta on Wednesday, Obasanjo said she had resolved to prove her political strength after what she described as Yayi’s failure to honour promises made to her following the All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship concensus.
“I’m on a war path to show who I am. My name and my family’s name are indelible in the history of Ogun State. For anybody to want to rubbish me, they will find out the hard way that I’m not rubbishable,” she declared.
The former senator said she would have remained in the APC had the senator fulfilled the commitments he allegedly made after the party’s consensus process.
“If he had kept to the promises he made that day, we would not be here today. Character matters. Whether you are a street sweeper or the president of a nation, if you have no character, it will eventually be your downfall,” she said.
Obasanjo accused Adeola of failing to communicate with her after requesting one week to respond to issues raised during a reconciliation meeting.
“I gave him six weeks. After I resigned, he started calling me. I never picked his calls and I never will. Once you’ve broken my trust, you are dead to me,” she said.
She alleged that her supporters had sought three concessions during the meeting with the senator; support for her senatorial ambition in APC, reimbursement of campaign expenses incurred during the governorship race, and inclusion of members of her political structure in his administration.
However, according to her, she told Adeola he did not have to grant all the requests but should simply indicate what he could accommodate.
“I told him to let me know what he could do so I could explain it to my supporters. Instead, he failed to keep his word. I think he is a man that lacks integrity. He sees people as things to be used,” she said.
She further alleged that the senator later attempted to win her over with money.
“He thinks money buys everything. The amount they offered was even insulting,” she added.
Obasanjo also claimed the APC halted her governorship ambition because of the momentum her campaign had generated.
“I think the APC stopped what we were doing because we were so successful at it. If I had continued, there was no way I wouldn’t have beaten Yayi,” she said.
The PDP candidate therefore announced the commencement of her senatorial campaign, saying she would begin consultations with party structures across the six local government areas of Ogun Central before embarking on wider media engagements.
“Moving forward, I will be doing more media engagement. I am now open to interviews,” she said.
She maintained that her confidence was built on her record in public office rather than political patronage.
“I am not a natural beggar. After leaving office, I went back to my profession because I have a PhD. I don’t know how to go to Abuja begging for appointments,” she said.
Highlighting projects she executed as senator, including interventions in mechanic villages and community infrastructure, Obasanjo argued that her achievements remained visible years after leaving office.
“Politics is about making people’s lives better. If you cannot make things better for individuals and society, there is no reason to be in politics,” she said.
Expressing confidence ahead of the election, she described herself as the candidate to beat in Ogun Central.
“In Ogun Central, I believe I am unbeatable. People know my brand because they have seen what I have done. My focus is on my senatorial district, and we are going to win it,” she said.
She also dismissed concerns over the simultaneous conduct of the presidential and National Assembly elections, insisting that voters were capable of distinguishing between candidates.
“Our people are not stupid. They know who they want to vote for,” she said.
On concerns over election violence, Obasanjo said citizens would defend their votes peacefully.
“We are citizens, and we will defend our rights. No violence can stop people from voting for who they want.”
She further stated that her nomination complied with electoral requirements, noting that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had accepted her as the PDP’s Ogun Central senatorial candidate.
“We met the deadline. I was within the time limit, and INEC has accepted me as the PDP candidate,” she said.
She, therefore, stressed she won’t stop, vowing to beat Yayi to a “pulp.”
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