Former senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello has declared that her bid for the Ogun State governorship in 2027 under the All Progressives Congress is entirely her own project, insisting she does not require the political weight of her father, former president Olusegun Obasanjo.

Speaking on a television programme, Obasanjo-Bello stressed that at 59, she is determined to stand on her own record and convictions rather than lean on family influence.

“I don’t need his support. I’m almost 60. At this age, my friends that still have both parents alive are very few. I consider myself lucky to have both my mother and my father alive. But I don’t think that at this age I should be consulting them for everything, including my career moves,” she said.

She added that her parents’ backing at the polls is already assured and that this is all she expects from them. “My father, I know, and my mother will vote for me. That’s all I can ask of them. I don’t even need to ask. Even if I didn’t, they will vote for me. So my journey in APC is a personal journey for me.”

Responding to questions about her long absence from frontline politics after losing her Senate seat, Obasanjo-Bello explained that she had never planned to seek a second term. She said she only returned to the race then because of pressure from supporters, even postponing a Harvard fellowship by a year.

Her initial foray into politics, she recalled, was driven by the thrill of grassroots engagement, a world far removed from her upbringing during military rule. That experience later led to her appointment as Ogun State Commissioner for Health and her election to the Senate, roles she now cites as the backbone of her governorship ambition.

“Everywhere I go in the state now, somebody comes up to me and says, ‘You did this for me’ — something as simple as, when you were commissioner, I was hired. I have a lot of goodwill,” she said.

On funding, Obasanjo-Bello disclosed that she intends to draw on retirement savings built over decades of work in the United States and invested in the American stock market, alongside support from individuals whose careers she has helped.

She acknowledged the risk of committing her savings to a campaign but said she is prepared to return to work if she loses, noting she still has many working years ahead.

On the APC ticket, she maintained that no aspirant has a guaranteed path but described herself as “formidable” and argued that her track record makes her the candidate to beat. She also welcomed the growing number of women entering the race and pointed to the proposed gender reserved seat bill as a sign that the political climate is shifting in favour of female participation.