Former Senator Iyabo Obasanjo on Wednesday met with women’s organisations and labour leaders in Abeokuta as part of consultations for the 2027 governorship election in Ogun State.
The meeting was held at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library and drew representatives of professional women’s bodies, artisans and civil society groups. During the engagement, she promised credible and inclusive leadership if elected.
Obasanjo said development in Ogun State would only be sustained if successive administrations continue existing policies rather than abandon them after elections. She explained that her ambition is to consolidate achievements recorded in infrastructure, healthcare, education and economic development, while also introducing reforms that give women, youths and vulnerable groups greater opportunities.
She stated that she would seek the ticket of the All Progressives Congress for the 2027 race and stressed the importance of continuity in governance.
She said, “I am really 0happy for the kind of leadership APC has both in the state and at the national level. The president has made APC a party of choice and Gov Dapo Abiodun has proven to be a good leader of APC in this state and I will make sure that APC ensures continuity in this state.
“Development demands continuity, institutional memory and a leadership that understands that governance is a relay, not a sprint.
“If entrusted with the mandate in 2027, my administration will be anchored on credibility, competence and compassion. We will not run a government of exclusion. Women will not merely be mobilisers during elections; they will be decision-makers at the highest levels of governance.”
She also promised transparency and measurable results in public spending.
“Leadership is about trust. My word to you is simple: transparency will not be negotiable. Budgets will not just be numbers on paper; they will translate into tangible improvements in schools, hospitals, roads and job opportunities. We will publish, we will explain, and we will be accountable,” she added.
Obasanjo highlighted the state’s growing industrial base and argued that it should be strengthened further. She said Ogun’s proximity to Lagos and to major ports gives it an advantage in manufacturing and export activities.
She said, “The current administration has made impressive moves with the industrialisation, the number of factories we have, because with that number of factories, it’s what comes with the jobs, opportunity, and taxation. But also, it’s that those resources can then be turned into things. So we are becoming the industrialisation hub of Nigeria.
“That was how China started; factories were taken from America to China. So now China is bringing factories here. This is an opportunity for the state to become the Guangdong of China, okay.
“Also important is agriculture; we need to do even more in that regard because we do have a lot of land, and we’re close to Lagos, which is a city where people need a lot of food. Since we all have to eat every day, let us do that.
“And also, we’re kind of close to the port. So if we do food for export or industry for export, we are at a good place to send products across the world. So focussing on agriculture as we add value to the agricultural products will be something for us to do.”
The former lawmaker earlier served as Commissioner for Health in Ogun State between 2003 and 2007 and later represented Ogun Central in the Senate from 2007 to May 2011. After losing her re election bid in 2011, she relocated to the United States, where she worked as a professor and epidemiology specialist before returning to Nigeria and re entering politics.
Her latest engagement signals an early push to mobilise support among key groups as political activity gradually builds ahead of the 2027 governorship election in Ogun State.