…Says Six Governors Couldn’t Dictate to Sitting President
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has fired back at former Ogun State Governor, Chief Olusegun Osoba, dismissing claims that he desperately sought the intervention of Alliance for Democracy (AD) governors and Afenifere leaders ahead of the 2003 general elections.
In a strongly worded response personally signed on Thursday, Obasanjo described Osoba’s account as false, farfetched and a distortion of historical facts, insisting that he never sought political rescue from the South-West governors.
The former President was reacting to 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 to resolve the political crisis ahead of the 2003 elections.
Rejecting the account, Obasanjo said it was inconceivable that six governors from one region could dictate terms to a sitting President who enjoyed the backing of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Federal Executive Council, the National Assembly and the majority of state governors.
“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?” Obasanjo wrote.
He argued that at the time he had the support of 21 PDP governors and nine governors from another political party, making it impossible for six governors to influence the direction of his administration.
“Could you agree to such effrontery? Six to dictate to thirty is ridiculous,” he said.
Obasanjo maintained that although he always listened to political stakeholders out of respect, he never allowed any group to dictate how he governed the country.
“I may listen and in politeness not answer back, but you should know I would not accept such dictation if you presented it,” he stated.
The former President also dismissed suggestions that his engagement with opposition politicians after assuming office was a sign of political weakness, insisting that his outreach was part of efforts to promote national unity and inclusive governance.
According to him, accommodating members of the Alliance for Democracy in what he described as a national government reflected political strength rather than desperation.
Obasanjo stressed that having won the presidency with nearly 63 per cent of the national vote, he had no reason to seek legitimacy from any regional political bloc.
He further alleged that the six AD governors had entered into a separate political arrangement with then Vice President Atiku Abubakar without his knowledge ahead of the 2003 elections.
According to Obasanjo, the alleged deal was for the governors to remain unchallenged in their re-election bids in exchange for supporting Atiku’s presidential ambition in 2007.
“You were all convinced of this anti-democratic plan and you all fell for it,” he alleged.
Obasanjo also rejected claims that the defeat of five of the six AD governors in the 2003 elections was orchestrated by the Presidency, insisting that the outcomes reflected the will of the electorate.
He added that his philosophy had always been to separate politics from personal relationships, stressing that political competition should never destroy national unity or personal friendships.
Osoba had earlier accused the former President of deceiving the AD governors ahead of the 2003 elections and criticised his alleged role in the impeachment plot against him.
