Abuja: Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has dismissed allegations by former Ogun governor, Chief Olusegun Osoba, that he deceived Alliance for Democracy (AD) leaders during the 2003 political realignments. Obasanjo, in a letter addressed to Osoba, described Osoba’s article, ‘How Obasanjo Deceived Us in 2003,’ as inaccurate, insisting he never deceived anyone in his political career. He said several events surrounding his emergence as president and subsequent political engagements were either unknown to Osoba or omitted in the publication.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Obasanjo’s return to politics followed consultations after repeated appeals from leaders across the country following his release from prison. He consulted prominent leaders from the South-West, North, and South-East before joining the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and contesting the presidency. Obasanjo stated that his approach had always been to promote dialogue, friendship, and national unity rather than bitterness, tribal politics, or political exclusion.
The former president maintained that his decision to form a broad-based government after the 1999 election was driven by national interest and not political weakness. He denied claims that he sought the support of six AD governors to survive political challenges, describing such assertions as unrealistic considering the PDP’s numerical strength. Obasanjo also rebuffed allegations that he accepted political conditions allegedly presented by Afenifere leaders before assuming office, stressing that no group dictated government policies to him.
Obasanjo defended the outcome of the 2003 elections, insisting the defeats suffered by most AD governors reflected political realities and campaign shortcomings rather than manipulation. He criticised Afenifere for what he described as narrow ethnic politics, arguing that national leadership required broader political accommodation beyond regional interests. Expressing sympathy for some Afenifere leaders who, before their deaths, expressed regret over the political path taken by their proteges, Obasanjo highlighted the divergence between the original values of the leaders and the practices of their successors.
Despite their disagreements, Obasanjo acknowledged Osoba’s contributions to Ogun State, particularly in allocating land for the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta. He urged political leaders to embrace humility, dialogue, and enduring relationships, emphasizing that politics should not destroy personal friendships or commitment to national development.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that one of the issues highlighted by Osoba in the article was the AD’s endorsement of Obasanjo for the 2003 presidential election. Osoba claimed that Obasanjo knew he would not contest under the AD but played along, deceiving the party that had endorsed him as its presidential candidate. Osoba stated, ‘We decided not to present a presidential candidate for the AD, in spite of resistance from some Afenifere leaders. We later realised that we had been fooled. Obasanjo merely played along with us and ended up deceiving us by telling our leaders what he knew they wanted to hear but which didn’t come from his heart.’