A former governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State, Modele Sarafa-Yusuf, has resigned her membership of the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Sarafa-Yusuf, a former special adviser on information and strategy to Governor Dapo Abiodun, announced her resignation on Thursday after notifying the APC leadership in the state and submitting a formal resignation letter.
The former broadcaster said the decision followed an extended period of travelling, spending time with her family, and engaging in “thought and quiet reflection” about her political future.
She, however, stressed that her resignation did not amount to an abandonment of public service, saying she was only taking “the next step in the journey.”
“My time in the APC has been an important part of my political journey, and I am grateful for the people I have met, the relationships I have built and the experiences that have shaped my understanding of public service and leadership,” she said.
Sarafa-Yusuf said she had reached a point where she needed to reassess her political path and determine how best to contribute to Ogun State and Nigeria.
According to her, her commitment to public service remains unchanged, anchored on “service, integrity, inclusion, competence, and a genuine desire to make a difference.”
She also disclosed that she would return to her professional and business commitments after her holiday while taking time to determine the direction of her next political engagement.
The resignation comes against the backdrop of Sarafa-Yusuf’s previous attempt to secure the APC governorship ticket ahead of the 2023 election.
In a separate open letter announcing her 2027 governorship ambition, she had said her decision to seek the party’s ticket was based on “deep reflection and wide consultation.”
She recalled that after losing the APC ticket in 2023, she accepted the outcome and remained committed to the party rather than working to destabilise it.
However, she said the circumstances facing Ogun had evolved, creating new political risks that required a fresh assessment of the state’s direction.
Sarafa-Yusuf maintained that her renewed political ambition was not motivated by “unfinished business,” but by concerns over the future of the state, including the possibility of divisions within the ruling party.
She also pledged to maintain a “cordial and respectful relationship” with Abiodun, whom she acknowledged as the APC leader in the state.
“This is not a candidacy designed to undermine any of our leaders or rewrite the past. It is designed to protect what works and improve what must be improved — without rupture,” she had said.
The former aspirant also addressed the contentious issue of zoning, particularly demands from the Ogun West Senatorial District for power to shift to the area.
She called for “inclusion without escalation,” warning that unresolved political grievances could create instability in the state.
Politics Nigeria reports that the senator representing Ogun West, Solomon Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, has earlier emerged as the APC’s consensus governorship candidate for 2027 poll. This occurred on April 13 when leaders of the APC in the state, including Governor Abiodun, unanimously adopted Adeola as the party’s candidate at the APC strategic caucus meeting held at the party secretariat in Abeokuta.
