Iyabo Obasanjo, daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, says she is confident of winning the Ogun State governorship election in 2027.
Iyabo, during a live discussion on Frontline, Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese Ijebu, themed ‘Political Hurdles Facing Nigerian Women, 2027 and Beyond’ stated that she is not intimidated by other candidates planning to run for governor.
She argued that Solomon Adeola, the senator representing Ogun West and popularly known as Yayi, had been involved in politics in another state before coming to Ogun to seek the governorship. She said this approach is not ideal.
The former senator for Ogun Central pointed out that, although there are no formal laws about rotation or zoning in Nigeria, she is concerned that Ogun West has never produced a governor.
Iyabo Obasanjo also promised to support the emergence of an Ogun West governor after her own time as governor.
She said: “I’m not sure a candidate coming in to kind of just get the governorship is the best to go. What about the other people that have been in Yewa? I think that having a governor that actually politicked in another state is not the best way to go.
“We know ourselves and everybody from Yewa that has been in politics from the start. I don’t think that’s the best option for Yewa people. One of the good points I gave about the current governor is that he has been with us here from the beginning, everybody knows him.
“If everybody starts choosing which state is advantageous for them to win something, we would all mess up the political system. That is being an opportunist, you stay in the system to start with and you move on and move on there.
“Yes, I am one of the ones concerned just about the West never having a governor. The reason we have not had a governor from Ogun West cannot be blamed on Ogun Central, right? We’ve had and the man (referring to a caller on the programme) mentioned the number of governors from Central two of them. He did not mention the number from the East.
“We’ve had three from Ogun East. So, is Central to blame for the West? Personally, I was instructed to help late General Olurin when he became the PDP candidate. I walked, we went and strutted and took him around. It did not work.
“I’m sensitive to their cry, I understand and I know we need to make sure that the next governor after me is from the West and I’m sure. Yes after me, because I’m going to win.
“I believe the people will get to know our capacity. I think there is a difference in terms of somebody that has the presence and the ability. So we should look at it as candidates. But also, I believe that we will get somebody from the West.
“We have to organize to do it. And I think that I actually have the capacity to do that more than the person representing the West now because this person has never supported anybody from the West.
“I have actually supported somebody from the West. So you are coming out just for yourself and I am coming out because I’ve served the people.”