As AD Gov. In Lagos, Bola Tinubu Survived 2003 Defeat By Muderous Change Of Votes – Obasanjo

By Ayodele Oni

Obasanjo To Osoba: “In 2003, you barely campaigned, and at the tail end of the campaign, you went on television to apologise to the people for your arrogance and informed them that the starch in your agbada caused your arrogant appearance.” – Obasanjo

23 years after, the political tsunami which swept through Southwest States in 2003 during which all Alliance for Democracy, AD, Governors lost their second term bid, former President Olusegun Obasanjo has revealed why only then Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu was the only survivor.

Having lost in all the South-west States in 1999, not a few Nigerians were taken aback when, during his second term bid, Obasanjo not only won overwhelmingly in the Region,  but saw to the defeat of all the AD Governors by the Candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, but for Tinubu.

Commenting on that unprecedented defeat of AD Governors,  Obasanjo said it was an act of God and blamed the defeated Governors for taking things for granted. He also disclosed that Tinubu survived because of what he described as a successful “muderous” change of votes – commonly called rigging

Obasanjo made these revelations in his reaction to some allegations made by former Governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba in his autobiography.

Osoba was one of the defeated AD Governors, and in his autobiography said Obasanjo’s defeat of the Governors was a product of deceit. He said they were deceived by Obasanjo.

But in response,  Obasanjo said  their defeat was transparent, and that Tinubu survived, as revealed to him by Tinubu’s then Head of Service, through an unprecedented rigging.

Obasanjo: “Your loss or defeat in 2003 was genuine in all the six States, except the one where the figures were successfully and murderously changed as Chief Tinubu, the Head of Service in Lagos State then, accurately reported to me.

“I took it as what God allowed.  From information that reached me from the political field, you barely campaigned and at the tail end of the campaign, you went on TV to apologise to the people for your arrogance and informed them that the starch in your agbada caused your arrogant appearance.

“The brisk movement through South-West by PDP on Thursday before the Saturday election in 2003 was incomparable and successful.  There were lessons to learn on both sides.

“I learn the lesson of whether the other side is right or wrong, there should be no bitterness and there should be accommodation and tolerance.

“Afenifere and its political party never rose beyond tribal cul de sac.  There is lesson for all in that. And it would appear that once you were not an AD or Afenifere member, you would be a liar or a deceiver.

“If you failed to follow my line, you must be maligned and set out as an enemy.  I have never believed in tribal politics.

“I sympathised with some Afenifere leaders who died with regret as they expressed to me before they died – Chief Gani Daudu, Chief Abraham Adesanya, Chief Ayo Adebanjo.  I was close to some of them before they died.  What they cherished, taught, believed and practised were not what their proteges accepted, believed and practised.

“Afenifere and what they stood for would not congratulate me when I came out of prison or when I became President.  Did it mean anything to me?  No.  I did not even know of it until I was told that they held a meeting of Afenifere to decide such pettiness.

“How mean!  Well, God answered my prayer that I was not too far away from the death bed of some of them as Yoruba elders.  I thank God that I did what I could to show no bitterness, hard feelings or lack of appreciation to God.

“Aremo, going through your Afenifere experience and all what God has done for you and where you are today, you have lessons to learn: you have many things to understand and you have thanks to give to God and to give men and women.

“And finally, it is not over until it is over and there is no end to humility and thanksgiving.  You were overwhelmed with your own interests, not to look at, or consider others.

“In politics, no one should be ignored or disregarded and politics may end, relationships may live till life’s end.  But let me remind you, the interactions that were not to the best of my knowledge influenced by party political affiliation or card.

“I wanted Governors to acquire land in Abuja and build houses.  Party consideration was not involved.  You were driven to believe, as I believed also, that it was necessary to develop Abuja.

“I remember that when you developed Osoba Hilltop and took me to show me the plot you wished to allocate to me to form a circle with the one for you and for Chief Shonekan and I shouted about price, you reminded me that when I pushed you to Abuja, you paid significantly for it.

“But the greatest service you rendered for me and for Abeokuta is the land allocated by you for Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, OOPL.  It has become the most significant landmark in Abeokuta.

“All of us in Abeokuta thank God for that landmark, thank you and thank God for your life.  The allocation was made for the good of my programme and in the best interest of Abeokuta and indeed Ogun State with little money paid by me.  There was neither politics played nor any game.”

Neither the Presidency, Osoba, nor Atiku Abubakar, Vice President then, who Obasanjo accused of giving Ghali N’abba, then Speaker of the House of Representatives, the sum of five million Naira, to start impeachment proceedings against him has reacted.