Obasanjo Fires Back At Osoba, Says “I Deceived Nobody, You Were Ignorant, Learn Humility”

By Ayodele Oni

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has denied allegations by former Ogun State Governor, Chief Olusegun Osoba, that he deceived leaders of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) during the political events which led to the 2003 general elections.

In a letter dated July 23, 2026, Obasanjo described Osoba’s account, published in The Legal Observer of July 20 under the title “How Obasanjo Deceived Us in 2003,” as inaccurate, incomplete and misleading.

The former President took particular strong exception to Osoba’s description of him as deceitful, and insisted that he always acted transparently and consistently throughout his political career.

“I deceived nobody,” Obasanjo declared, arguing that he always presented issues as he understood them, regardless of whose interests were affected.

Obasanjo maintained that many of the critical political discussions preceding his emergence as President were handled by senior leaders within Afenifere and the Alliance for Democracy, adding that Osoba was not privy to several of those high-level consultations.

Recounting events after his release from prison, the former President revealed that several groups had approached him to contest the presidency, beginning with a delegation led by Lawan Katsina, followed by separate groups headed by the late Chief S.M. Afolabi and Chief Martins Kuye.

According to him, the growing calls prompted extensive consultations across the South-West, North and South-East before he eventually decided to join the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and pursue the presidency.

Obasanjo disclosed that he consulted prominent national figures, including Chief Richard Akinjide, Chief Bola Ige, Chief Meredith Akinloye, Prof. Oyeleye Oyediran, Adamu Ciroma, Sunday Awoniyi, Prof. Anezi Okoro and Arthur Mbanefo before making his decision.

He also revisited his meetings with the late Afenifere leader, Chief Abraham Adesanya, stating that despite Adesanya’s insistence that the Yoruba would not vote for him, he continued to accord him respect and maintained cordial relations.

The former President reiterated his long-standing opposition to ethnic politics, explaining that he declined invitations to join the Alliance for Democracy because he considered it essentially a regional party.

Obasanjo defended his decision to invite members of the Alliance for Democracy into his administration after the 1999 elections, describing it as a deliberate effort to promote national unity rather than a response to political weakness.

He disclosed that after assuming office, he immediately appointed defeated South-West PDP governorship candidates into federal positions and began reaching out to influential AD leaders across the region in a bid to build political bridges.

The former President said his administration deliberately pursued reconciliation by engaging politicians across party lines and frequently visiting opposition-controlled states to strengthen national cohesion.

Obasanjo also dismissed Osoba’s claim that he sought the assistance of the six AD governors to survive a political crisis, arguing that such an assertion ignored the fact that he already had the backing of 21 PDP governors, nine NPP governors and the National Assembly.

He argued that the Alliance for Democracy and Afenifere failed to expand beyond regional politics, insisting that Nigeria’s democracy required broader national alliances instead of ethnic political platforms.

Despite the sharp criticisms contained in his letter, Obasanjo praised Osoba for allocating the land on which the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library was built, describing the institution as one of Abeokuta’s most significant landmarks and expressing appreciation for the gesture.

The former President urged Osoba to embrace humility, sustain relationships beyond partisan politics and appreciate the value of dialogue, tolerance and national unity, insisting that political competition should never destroy personal friendships or the collective interest of the country.