A governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Ogun State, Senator Iyabo Obasanjo has said that she is the most suitable and competent to rule the state in 2027.
During an interactive session with the management and editorial board of Penpushing Media at its corporate headquarters in Abeokuta, the state capital, on Friday, the daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo emphasised that her aspiration to lead the state was not based on gender but on competence, experience and capacity to deliver impactful governance.
Accompanied by thousands of supporters, she said she was ready to lead the state into what she described as its ‘next chapter of development’.
Obasanjo said: ‘I just think this is the right time to have somebody like me to lead. Being a woman is good. But the main thing is that I am the best person that can deliver for Ogun State’.
She added that her vision is to reposition the state as an attractive destination where indigenes in the Diaspora would be encouraged to return home and invest, as well as strengthening the state’s internally generated revenue.
The 58-year-old academic, epidemiologist, who represented Ogun Central senatorial district in the National Assembly between 2007 and 2011, said that her exposure to leadership from an early age shaped her understanding of governance and public service.
She recounted her achievements as the state Commissioner for Health from 2003 to 2007, including the renovation of all 28 general hospitals in the state, recruitment of medical personnel, and implementation of healthcare programmes aimed at improving both patient care and workers’ welfare.
Obasanjo qually referenced outreach initiatives such as rural medical missions that provided surgeries, eye tests and free eyeglasses to underserved communities.
In infrastructure and economic development, she stressed the need for improved road networks, particularly in the rural areas, to support industrial expansion and reduce congestion in existing industrial hubs.
The governorship aspirant, who said she is in consultations with APC leaders across all Local Government Areas, reflected on her tenure as a Senator, stating that her approach to governance has always been rooted in service.
‘I have always been around power and leadership, and I have not changed. What you see is what you get with me. If we can make our rural roads better, we will move factories there. Without good roads, electricity and communication networks, development cannot spread. I took the job as a responsibility to serve, not for personal gain. The goodwill I see today from people is a reflection of that commitment’, she stated.
She advocated increased opportunities for women in governance while emphasising competence over sentiment.
The founder of Penpushing Media, Prince Dimeji Kayode-Adedeji highlighted the organisation’s journey as the first online newspapers to start operations in Abeokuta.
He explained that the organisation has been robustly nurtured on the journalistic ideology of adding value to the profession by ensuring credible news.
The founder added that Penpushing Media does not limit its operations to news writing, but injects corporate social responsibility to its operations.
The Chairperson of the Editorial Board, Mrs. Funke Fadugba commended Obasanjo for her determination and zeal in working towards becoming first woman to be elected governor in Nigeria
She added that the visit would serve and remain a reference point in the history of the media outlet, adding that the coming of Obasanjo to the corporate office of Penpushing Media added values, and equally raise its profile.
