I know how to place Olusegun Obasanjo when it comes to opposition politics. Obasanjo is only an opposition to Obasanjo’s interest, not your interest, not any ideology, and certainly not anything that does not align with him.
So when I saw his name listed as Chairman of the occasion for the opposition summit at the newly built Oyo State Government House Banquet Hall, I was not shocked. I laughed. I laughed at the own goal by the opposition and at whoever thought putting the name of the “Ebora Owu” on that flier as chairman of a hurriedly assembled national opposition summit was a smart move.
Let’s be honest, the opposition today seems driven by one singular objective: oppose Bola Ahmed Tinubu 2027. Beyond that, the direction is unclear.
I have long struggled to understand why politicians keep trying to drag Obasanjo into their battles. What exactly are they hoping to gain? Time and again, they attach his name to their causes, and time and again he either denies involvement, disappoints expectations, or simply stays away as we have seen again, without any credible explanation from either the organisers or Obasanjo himself.
The first time I seriously considered writing about this pattern was when Governor Seyi Makinde invited Obasanjo to Ibadan to commission the new Ibadan Central Bus Terminal in November 2025. I searched for the connection, political, personal, strategic or anything that would justify that choice. I found none. And I still find none.
Don’t get me wrong, Obasanjo is a factor. In Nigeria. In Africa. Even globally. But what exactly does his presence add to the growing political influence of Governor Makinde?
Makinde has built his path differently. He has not been a regular in Nigeria’s traditional power circles. He has not been visibly within Obasanjo’s political orbit. And frankly, he has performed strongly enough, and spoken firmly enough, not to need validation from that circle.
So while I was still trying to connect the dots, a thought crossed my mind: could it be that he believes, like some do that Obasanjo will always oppose anything associated with Tinubu?
That assumption alone explains a lot and also explains why it often collapses.
Still on that November 2025 event, while I was trying to understand why Obasanjo was chosen to commission what was described as the biggest central park in Nigeria, another drama unfolded, the public fallout between former Governor Fayose and Obasanjo. What caught my attention was Fayose’s claim that Obasanjo should return $20,000 allegedly sent through an intermediary for him to attend a birthday.
Now pause—$20,000 for attendance?
How does that align with the same Obasanjo who attended the Ibadan Central Bus Terminal commissioning without honorarium, praised Governor Makinde, and even advised him to stay focused and ignore distractions?
These contradictions are exactly why attaching certainty to Obasanjo’s political posture is a dangerous gamble.
Then there is what I call the “Obasanjo internet” especially on X where some aides, appointed and self-appointed, push narratives that stretch credibility. One claim that stood out was that Obasanjo had “blessed” an Obi/Kwankwaso ticket on ADC.
How?
The audacity of positioning Obasanjo as the “anointer” of political tickets is almost comedic.
I am not a politician, but I understand this much: Obasanjo is not an opposition leader. He cannot lead any structured opposition movement, especially, heading into 2027. He operates as a one-man force, with a singular mission: protect Obasanjo’s interest.
Now, think about what it means to announce him as Chairman of a National Opposition Summit and then have him absent.
Do you understand the signal that sends? The credibility gap it creates? The damage it does to the very opposition trying to project unity and seriousness?
His absence at that National Opposition Summit reminds me of another moment in November 2025 at the Ibadan PDP convention aligned with the Oyo State government faction. The chairman of the planning committee, Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, did not attend. Not long after, he decamped to the APC.
The irony is hard to ignore.
In both cases, the supposed pillars of the event were missing. And in politics, absence is never just absence, it speaks loudest.
