Yayi, Iyabo Obasanjo Clash Over Alleged Campaign Refund Demand

The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate for the 2027 Ogun State election, Senator Solomon Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, and former APC governorship aspirant, Senator Iyabo Obasanjo, have exchanged accusations over an alleged request for reimbursement of campaign expenses.

The disagreement followed claims by Adeola that Obasanjo demanded a refund of the money she spent during her governorship campaign after failing to secure the APC ticket.

Speaking during a meeting with the Council of Iyalajes and Babaalajes in Remoland, Adeola described the alleged request as insulting, saying it suggested that Obasanjo viewed politics as a financial investment rather than an opportunity to serve the people.

According to a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media, Kayode Odunaro, the senator said he had approached Obasanjo during consultations because he believed she genuinely wanted to contribute to Ogun State’s development.

He alleged that her subsequent demand for reimbursement revealed a personal interest in the state’s resources.

Adeola further claimed that after failing to obtain what she wanted within the APC, Obasanjo defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), where she later emerged as the party’s Ogun Central senatorial candidate for the 2027 election.

The APC governorship candidate also alleged that some of his political opponents were sponsoring legal challenges against his candidacy, insisting that the cases would not succeed.

He argued that politicians who defected to another political party after May 10, 2026, were not eligible to contest the forthcoming elections under existing legal provisions.

Adeola also questioned the legal status of the PDP, claiming the opposition party remained divided by unresolved internal disputes.

Responding to the allegations, Obasanjo dismissed Adeola’s claims as false, describing him as “a liar” who lacked integrity.

She questioned why he allegedly continued reaching out to her and even offered her money to remain in the APC if he genuinely considered her request offensive.

The former Ogun State Commissioner for Health explained that during their last meeting, her political team presented three requests to Adeola but none was fulfilled.

She maintained that she never demanded campaign refunds and accused the APC candidate of attempting to distort facts for political advantage.

The exchange marks the latest escalation in political tensions ahead of the 2027 elections in Ogun State, where both politicians now belong to opposing political parties.