Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Thursday scathingly denied claims by former Ogun State governor, Chief Olusegun Osoba, that he deceived leaders of the Alliance for Democracy ahead of the 2003 general elections.
Obasanjo insisted that he never believed in tribal politics and neither misled anyone nor acted in bad faith.
Obasanjo, in a lengthy letter dated July 23, 2026, entitled, “Reply to Your Inaccurate Posture: “How Obasanjo Deceived Us in 2003”, described Osoba’s account as “farfetched” and riddled with inaccuracies, omissions and misconceptions.
Osoba had alleged that Obasanjo deceived AD governors and Afenifere leaders during political negotiations preceding the 2003 elections.
The former governor’s account was contained in his 2018 memoir, “Battlelines: Adventure in Journalism and Politics,” excerpts of which were recently republished by some online platforms.
Obasanjo, in his response to Osoba’s allegations, rejected suggestions that he sought political rescue from the six South-West AD governors or that he was dictated to by regional political leaders.
“I take strong and serious objection to your calling me a deceiver because I deceived nobody. I always presented my case and all issues as I had them and as I understood them, no matter whose ox is gored,” Obasanjo wrote.
The former President also dismissed Osoba’s claim that a delegation of AD governors and Afenifere leaders, led by the late Chief Ayo Adebanjo, met him at his Ota farm with proposals to resolve the political crisis before the 2003 election.
“My dear brother Olusegun Osoba, I don’t know what would best describe what you claimed was presented to me on my farm with Egbon Ayo Adebanjo leading: hyperbole, presumption, disregard, takeover or what?” he asked.
Obasanjo argued that it was inconceivable that six governors from one geopolitical zone could dictate terms to a sitting President backed by the Federal Executive Council, the National Assembly, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), 21 PDP governors and nine governors from another political party.
He stated, “Could you agree to such effrontery? Six to dictate to thirty is ridiculous,.
“I had an Executive Council, I had a National Assembly, I had a virile political party, 21 governors and nine other governors from another party with my government, and it was AD and Afenifere that would dictate to me what my government would do? You grossly underrated me.”
While acknowledging that he often listened to political stakeholders, Obasanjo maintained that he never accepted political dictation.
“I may listen and in politeness not answer back, but you should know I would not accept such dictation if you presented it,” he added.
The former President also defended his political outreach to opposition leaders after assuming office in 1999, insisting it reflected strength rather than desperation.
He said his decision to invite members of the AD into what he described as a broad-based national government was aimed at promoting national unity and democratic inclusion.
“Bringing PDP and AD to join me for a sort of national government was not out of weakness; rather, it was out of strength and for the unity and progress of the country,” he said.
Obasanjo said before he joined the PDP in 1998, he was persuaded to contest the presidency by delegations from different parts of the country, including those led by Lawan Katsina, the late Chief S.M. Afolabi and Chief Martins Kuye.
He added that he consulted widely across the South-West, North and South-East before making his decision.
Recalling his relationship with the late Afenifere leader, Chief Abraham Adesanya, Obasanjo said the elder statesman openly opposed his presidential ambition but they maintained mutual respect.
“There was no time I called on Papa Adesanya that I was not well entertained. Yet Papa stood on no vote for me, and I stood on my respect and what was due to him,” he wrote.
On the events leading to the 2003 elections, Obasanjo alleged that the six AD governors had entered into a separate political understanding with then Vice President Atiku Abubakar without his knowledge.
He stated that the arrangement was that the governors would face no serious electoral opposition in 2003 and, in return, would support Atiku’s presidential ambition in 2007.
“You were all convinced of this anti-democratic plan and you all fell for it,” he alleged.
Obasanjo maintained that the defeat of five of the six AD governors in the 2003 elections reflected the wishes of the electorate rather than manipulation by the Presidency.
“Your loss or defeat in 2003 was genuine in all the six states except the one where the figures were successfully and murderously changed,” he asserted.
Despite his criticism of Osoba’s account, Obasanjo praised the former governor for allocating the land on which the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta was built.
“The greatest service you rendered for me and for Abeokuta is the land allocated by you for Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library. It has become the most significant landmark in Abeokuta,” he wrote.
