The Ogun State political landscape was jolted into a new phase of confrontation on Sunday as a simmering disagreement between Senator Solomon Adeola and Senator Iyabo Obasanjo exploded into a full-blown war of words, reshaping the narrative around the 2027 governorship race.
ValidViewNetwork reports that what began as quiet intra-party grievances has now escalated into one of the most dramatic political clashes of the season, with allegations of cash demands, betrayal, and integrity failures dominating public discourse.
The confrontation, which pits the APC governorship candidate against a former APC aspirant who has since defected to the PDP, has not only intensified scrutiny on both political camps but also raised broader questions about party cohesion, campaign financing, and the credibility of consensus arrangements within Ogun’s political establishment. As both figures trade accusations with increasing ferocity, the stakes surrounding the 2027 election have grown even higher, drawing statewide attention to a dispute that now sits at the centre of Ogun’s unfolding political drama.
Adeola, popularly known as Yayi and serving as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, alleged that Obasanjo left the APC for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after he refused to refund what she purportedly spent during her governorship campaign. He described the alleged request as “insulting,” insisting it revealed a personal agenda rather than a commitment to public service.
Addressing the Council of Iyalajes and Babaalajes in Remoland at his senatorial office in Ilaro, Adeola said Obasanjo’s alleged demand suggested she viewed her governorship bid as an investment she intended to recover. “Their intention is driven by personal interest and not the interest of Ogun State. They don’t mean well for our dear state. They are bitter. They are looking for the state purse,” he said.
”One of them said I offended her. She said I reneged on promises. She said she joined the governorship race and failed and wanted me to refund her expenses. That I should refund her dollars and naira. Did I ask her to join the governorship race?” Adeola queried, ValidViewNetwork reports.
He added that he initially visited Obasanjo as part of reconciliation efforts within the APC, believing she was genuinely interested in governing the state. According to him, her subsequent actions revealed a personal motive. “Asking me to refund you or pay back what you have expended on this electioneering campaign is insulting to me. Now you left the party because you were offered money,” he alleged.
His words: “Asking me to refund you or pay back what you have expended on this electioneering campaign is insulting to me. Now you left the party. You left the party not because the party has wronged you. You left the party because you were offered money.”
”You are not a party person. You just want to cash in. And you are being paid. You don’t mean well for Ogun State. They are there in their numbers looking for the purse of Ogun State.”
Adeola further claimed that after failing to secure what she wanted from him and the APC, Obasanjo turned to PDP governorship candidate Ladi Adebutu in pursuit of similar benefits. He said more revelations would emerge in due course, adding that her own public statements had already exposed what he described as her “political dishonesty.”
The senator also addressed the legal challenge to his emergence as APC governorship candidate, alleging that his opponents were behind the suit. He argued that those who defected from the APC after May 10, 2026, were not legally qualified to contest the 2027 election. “By law, anyone who crossed over after May 10, 2026, is only wasting his or her time. We are waiting for them,” he said. He also claimed the PDP currently lacked valid legal standing due to unresolved factional disputes.
Responding, Obasanjo dismissed Adeola’s claims, describing him as “a liar” who lacked integrity. She questioned why he allegedly continued to call her and later offered her money to remain in the APC if he considered her request insulting.
Her words: “What I find uncomfortable with Yayi is lack of trust. Yayi has a trust deficit. He lacks integrity and should not be taken seriously. What he has done is playing the politics of blackmail. I can never trust him again in my life.”
ValidViewNetwork reports that Obasanjo insisted she made no personal demands, but her supporters presented three requests: the Senate seat, a refund of campaign expenses, and inclusion of her supporters in Adeola’s campaign structure.
”My supporters asked the senator for three things. The first is the Senate seat, the second is the refund of what I spent, and the third is the inclusion of my people in his campaign,” she said. “If he thought it was insulting, why did he now offer money to me not to leave the party? He has no integrity and is a liar.”
According to her, Senator Adeola promised to consult widely and revert within one week.
”Six weeks later, there was no response,” she recalled, saying the prolonged silence convinced her that she and her supporters had not been treated with the respect they deserved.
That experience, she explained, became a major factor in her eventual decision to resign from the APC before later accepting the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senatorial ticket, ValidViewNetwork reports.
Obasanjo, who returned to active politics in January by registering as an APC member in Ibogun Ward 11, resigned from the party on May 31, citing a lack of respect.
As the Adeola–Obasanjo war of words continues to reverberate across Ogun’s political landscape, ValidViewNetwork reports that the unfolding controversy has also sparked renewed public interest in transparency, internal democracy, and accountability within political parties. Rather than merely deepening divisions, the confrontation is prompting wider conversations about how political actors engage, negotiate, and build trust ahead of major elections.
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ValidViewNetwork reports that stakeholders across the state are now calling for more issue-based dialogue, clearer party processes, and a political climate that prioritises service over suspicion.
With both camps insisting that they are committed to the future of Ogun State, the hope among citizens and observers is that this moment of tension will ultimately give way to more constructive engagement, stronger institutions, and a healthier democratic culture as the 2027 governorship race approaches.
