All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the 2027 Ogun governorship election, Solomon Adeola, fondly known as Yayi and a former Ogun central senator, Iyabo Obasanjo, have exchanged heated words over a claim that the former president’s daughter demanded a refund of her campaign expenses.
Speaking during a meeting with the council of Iyalajes and Babaalajes from Remoland at his constituency office in Ilaro on Saturday, Adeola stated that he had met and engaged with Obasanjo as part of his consultations ahead of the governorship election.
Adeola alleged that the former senator made some unreasonable demands during the engagement. Moments after joining the APC in February 2026, Obasanjo declared her interest in the governorship race but later suspended her bid after the party settled for Adeola.
Adeola said that Obasanjo told him to refund the money she had spent on campaign, stating that the alleged demand shows that she is in politics for personal gain rather than service to the people.
“She (referring to Iyabo Obasanjo) 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?” he said
“You are asking me to refund you what you have expended on this electioneering campaign. First and foremost, I find it insulting. Now you have left the party. You left the party not because the party 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.”
In June, Iyabo Obasanjo resigned from the APC, citing persistent disrespect from the leadership of the party and alleged breach of agreements by Adeola.
She later pitched her tent with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and secured the party’s Ogun central senatorial ticket.
But speaking in an interview on AIT, Obasanjo stated that she withdrew from the governorship race the day Adeola was endorsed as the APC’s consensus candidate.
Obasanjo stated that Adeola called her shortly afterwards and asked to meet her and her supporters.
“The next morning, he called me and said he wanted to come and see me and my followers. I told my followers,” she said.
“I told my followers. They said when he comes, they are going to ask for specific things. I said I’m not asking because I don’t need anything from him.
“He requested to meet me and my people. If I was going to ask him for money, I would be the one to request to meet him.
“When he came, my people made three demands. They said they wanted the senate for me. I told them I don’t want the senate.
“Second, they asked for the money I had spent on the campaign. Third, they wanted formal recognition if they would join his campaign.”
The former senator added that when Adeola personally asked her how much she wanted, she replied that whatever the senator can afford.
She said six weeks later, Adeola had not contacted her, noting that when some people called him on her behalf, she said they were told that he was busy.
