Senator Iyabo Obasanjo Backs Consensus Model for 2027 Elections, Eyes Ogun Guber Seat
Ahead of Nigeria's 2027 general elections, Senator Iyabo Obasanjo, daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, has publicly declared her strong support for the consensus method in selecting political party candidates. Obasanjo, who is a prominent aspirant for the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship ticket in Ogun State, articulated her views during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.
Consensus: A Path to Electable Candidates?
Senator Obasanjo dismissed common fears that a consensus approach might lead to the emergence of unpopular candidates. Instead, she argued that it is a strategic tool for parties aiming for electoral success.
“Consensus does not mean that leadership ignores the will of the people; consensus means that they look at what the people are saying,” Obasanjo explained.
She emphasized that no political party intentionally seeks to lose, hence the leadership would naturally gravitate towards candidates with genuine electability.
“The consensus is going to come towards people that can actually win on the ground… they do not want to put the least popular person as the consensus candidate in a way that is going to aggravate the other participants and in a way that is going to discourage people that are popular from participating,” she added, expressing full belief in its efficacy.
Confidence in Ogun Guber Bid
The former Ogun Central senator firmly believes that the consensus system will work to her advantage in the highly anticipated Ogun APC governorship race. She pointed to her established popularity and a track record of public service.
Her past roles as a commissioner and a senator, she asserts, have solidified her connection with the people. Notably, she highlighted her judicious use of senatorial salaries to serve her constituents, which she sees as a significant edge in her current political pursuit.
A Candidate to Beat: Parental Support Assured
Earlier this month, in another interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, Senator Obasanjo exuded confidence in her prospects for the 2027 Ogun State governorship. She boldly stated she is “a candidate to beat.”
Having recently moved from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC, the 59-year-old politician also addressed the sensitive topic of parental influence and support. She expressed certainty that both her mother and father, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo, would cast their votes for her.
“I am almost 60; I think that at this age, my friends who still have both parents alive are very few, so I consider myself lucky to have both my mother and my father alive,” she reflected. “I don’t think at this age I should be consulting them for everything in my career move. What I have said is that my father, I know, and my mother will vote for me; that’s all that I can ask of them. Even if I don’t ask, they will vote for me; that I can guarantee.”
Electoral Act and APC's Stance on Consensus
The embrace of consensus by politicians like Senator Obasanjo aligns with recent legislative changes. The new Electoral Act has streamlined candidate selection processes for political parties, limiting options to only direct primary and consensus, while removing the previously allowed indirect primary method.
Significantly, the APC has already confirmed its intention to adopt a consensus approach for selecting national leaders during its upcoming convention, scheduled for March 27 and 28, 2026, in Abuja. This was revealed by Mary Ikoku, Assistant Secretary for Media and Publicity, on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.
However, Ikoku clarified that the party has not yet finalized its strategy for handling elective positions during primaries, suggesting that these decisions might be tailored to local political dynamics across different regions.