Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has rejected claims by former Ogun State Governor Olusegun Osoba that he deceived leaders of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) ahead of the 2003 general elections, insisting that Osoba’s defeat was genuine and not the result of any political betrayal.
Obasanjo was responding to allegations by Osoba, who recently claimed that the former president misled AD governors and leaders of the pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, during political negotiations leading up to the 2003 elections.
Dismissing the allegation, Obasanjo maintained that he played no role in any alleged arrangement involving his former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, or any political agreement that could have influenced the outcome of the election.
The former president stated that Osoba lost the 2003 governorship election on its merits, stressing that there was no conspiracy or deception against the former governor or the Alliance for Democracy.
The exchange has revived memories of the political events surrounding the 2003 elections, when the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) swept through the South-West, winning all governorship seats in the region except Lagos State, which remained under the control of the Alliance for Democracy.
Obasanjo’s response adds a fresh dimension to the long-running debate over the political realignments and negotiations that shaped one of Nigeria’s most significant electoral contests.
