Obasanjo denies deceiving AD leaders in 2003 election

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has issued a detailed rebuttal to claims that he deceived political leaders ahead of Nigeria's 2003 general elections, describing the allegations as inaccurate and insisting he acted in good faith. The response came in a letter dated July 23, 2026, addressed to former Ogun State Governor Olusegun Osoba, who had recently republished excerpts from his memoir alleging Obasanjo misled leaders of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and the Yoruba socio-political group Afenifere during political realignments.

In the letter, Obasanjo took strong exception to being labeled a deceiver, stating he always presented his positions openly. He argued that Osoba's account contained significant omissions and misconceptions about the political negotiations preceding the 2003 polls. Obasanjo specifically rejected the suggestion that he sought political rescue from the six AD governors in the southwest or that he was dictated to by regional leaders. He described as inconceivable the idea that six governors could dictate terms to a sitting president backed by the federal executive council, the national assembly, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and numerous...