Atiku Calls Out Obasanjo to Be Clear About His Support for Tinubu

Atiku Abubakar, who was Vice President under Olusegun Obasanjo from 1999 to 2007, has accused the former President of secretly backing his relative for the 2027 presidential election.

Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has urged Obasanjo to openly declare his choice for a candidate to promote transparency.

This call comes after Obasanjo claimed that Atiku gave ₦5 million to the late House of Representatives Speaker, Ghali Na’Abba, to start impeachment proceedings against him during their time in office.

In a statement released on Friday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said these old allegations from 2003 are aimed at hurting his political image.

"Coming at a time when the political landscape ahead of the 2027 general election is taking shape, the obvious objective is to besmirch my person and reputation and confer an undeserved political advantage on the former President’s kinsman," the statement said.

"Nigerians, however, know better. They are too discerning to be distracted by stale allegations resurrected for political convenience."

Atiku argued that if Obasanjo has picked a political side, he should speak out clearly instead of using unverified claims. The main witness, Na’Abba, has passed away.

"He should simply declare [his preferred candidate] and allow Nigerians to judge it on its merits, rather than attempting to influence public opinion through allegations that can no longer be tested," he added.

Though Atiku did not say President Bola Tinubu's name directly, his mention of Obasanjo’s "kinsman" is seen as a jab at the president, since they are both from the South-west.

Obasanjo and Tinubu were political allies during the early Fourth Republic, but their relationship has soured over the years due to disputes on governance and elections. The first major clash happened in 2003 when the Obasanjo government stopped funding local governments in Lagos State after Tinubu set up 37 Local Council Development Areas.

Tensions grew in 2007 when Obasanjo tried to secure a third term, which Tinubu opposed. More recently, before the 2023 election, Obasanjo backed Labour Party candidate Peter Obi, further widening the gap between him and Tinubu. Since Tinubu became president, Obasanjo has criticized his economic policies, highlighting issues like rising poverty and inflation.

On the bribery claim, Atiku questioned why Obasanjo brought it up now, pointing out that Obasanjo waited until after Na’Abba's death to speak on it.

"If this allegation were true, why did he never make it while Mr Na’Abba was alive? Why wait until the only man who could confirm or refute the claim has departed this world?" Atiku asked. "It is unfair to his memory and contrary to our cultural values to conscript the dead into contemporary political battles when they no longer have a voice."

Na’Abba served as speaker from 1999 to 2003 and had several clashes with Obasanjo’s government, peaking in 2002 when they tried to impeach the president. Although the Senate briefly backed the move, former heads of state like Shehu Shagari and Yakubu Gowon intervened to stop the process.

Na’Abba, who died on December 27, 2023, later said in a 2018 interview that the impeachment process should have been finished. Atiku has now challenged Obasanjo to provide proof of his claims, stressing that as president at the time, Obasanjo had the full power to investigate any wrongdoing if it really happened.