Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has strongly responded to recent comments by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who described selecting Atiku as his running mate in 1999 as the greatest mistake of his presidency.
In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said he watched Obasanjo’s remarks made during a fireside conversation with entertainer and activist Charles Oputa (Charly Boy) in Lagos with profound sadness rather than anger. He dismissed the comments as “another failed attempt to rewrite history.”
Atiku firmly defended his opposition to Obasanjo’s controversial third-term agenda, stating: “I am proud that I stood against the third-term agenda. I am proud that I stood by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I have no apology whatsoever for frustrating every attempt to subvert our democracy for personal ambition.
“If Chief Obasanjo’s bitterness stems from my refusal to support an unconstitutional third term, then I wear that resentment as a badge of honour. No individual, regardless of his status or accomplishments, is bigger than the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The Constitution is supreme, and I chose Nigeria over personal loyalty.
He emphasized that the struggle was never personal but about preserving Nigeria’s constitutional democracy for future generations. “The Nigerian people won that battle. Democracy won that battle. History has already delivered its verdict,” Atiku added.
Recalling their shared history, Atiku highlighted the support he provided during and after Obasanjo’s imprisonment under the late military regime: “History records that while Chief Obasanjo was in prison, I stood firmly by him. I supported his family, worked tirelessly with other patriots for his release and never wavered in my belief that he deserved his freedom.
“When he eventually regained his freedom, he had little to his name. I received him, clothed him, ensured he was properly cared for and extended every support necessary to help him regain his footing.
“Beyond that, I mobilised political structures, built alliances and made enormous personal and political sacrifices that culminated in his emergence as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Atiku stated he has no regrets about the assistance rendered. “Do I regret helping Chief Obasanjo? Absolutely not. When God gives you the opportunity to lift another human being, you do so without expecting repayment. Acts of kindness are matters of conscience, not commercial transactions. Gratitude should never be replaced with revisionism.”
He also referenced recent remarks by World Trade Organization Director-General Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who reportedly described the economic management team Atiku led during the Obasanjo administration as among the best Nigeria has ever had. Atiku questioned the timing of Obasanjo’s criticisms against this backdrop and expressed disappointment that the former president was revisiting old political disagreements at a time when Nigerians face severe economic hardship, insecurity, and unemployment.
“The 2027 election should be about rebuilding Nigeria, restoring security, reviving the economy and giving hope to the next generation not reopening old political wounds,” he said.
Atiku noted that while he had previously exercised restraint out of respect for Obasanjo and the office he once held, silence in the face of repeated historical distortions was no longer tenable. “Chief Obasanjo is entitled to his opinions. He is entitled to his personal grievances. What he is not entitled to are his own facts.
“History is stubborn. It cannot be rewritten by bitterness, nor erased by repeated falsehoods. In the end, history will render its verdict and so will the Nigerian people.”
He concluded that he remains focused on national service and renewal rather than personal recrimination.