Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has accused former President Olusegun Obasanjo of sustaining what he described as a campaign of lies, political manipulation and orchestrated deceit against him for more than two decades.
Atiku’s media adviser, Paul Ibe, made the allegation in a statement issued in response to recent comments by Obasanjo concerning the political relationship between the former president and his deputy during their time in office from 1999 to 2007.
The latest controversy centres on an allegation that Atiku had mobilised the late former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ghali Umar Na’Abba, in an alleged attempt to remove Obasanjo from office.
Ibe rejected the claim, describing it as baseless and politically motivated. He argued that Na’Abba, who died in 2023, was no longer alive to respond to the allegation or provide his own account of the events.
To challenge Obasanjo’s version of events, Atiku’s camp cited former House of Representatives member Abubakar Bawa Bwari, who reportedly served as Chief Whip during the period. According to Ibe, Bwari said Na’Abba did not seek Obasanjo’s removal and that Atiku instead acted as an intermediary between the former president and lawmakers.
The statement also revisited the political relationship between Obasanjo and Atiku ahead of the 2003 presidential election. Ibe cited former Abia State Governor Orji Uzor Kalu, who reportedly said Atiku sought the support of PDP governors for Obasanjo’s re-election despite having political opportunities of his own.
According to the account presented by Ibe, some PDP governors had considered supporting Atiku for the presidency at the time, but the former vice president declined to betray Obasanjo, who had chosen him as his running mate.
The Atiku camp further brought up the controversy surrounding the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) in the build-up to the 2007 presidential election. Ibe maintained that allegations surrounding the fund were politically motivated and linked to Atiku’s opposition to Obasanjo’s bid for a third term in office.
The statement also referenced accounts contained in the autobiography of the late Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, while making claims about events involving businessman Mike Adenuga during the PTDF controversy.
Atiku and Obasanjo have had a long and often contentious political relationship. Their disagreements became particularly pronounced during their second term in office, amid disputes over political succession, alleged corruption and Obasanjo’s controversial third-term ambition.
Atiku later left the Peoples Democratic Party and contested the 2007 presidential election under the Action Congress after his relationship with Obasanjo deteriorated.
The latest exchange comes as Atiku prepares to contest the 2027 presidential election under the ADC, making the renewed dispute between the two former political allies particularly significant.
Atiku’s camp maintained that the latest allegations would not withstand scrutiny and accused Obasanjo of repeatedly reviving controversial claims during election periods.
As the 2027 political season gathers momentum, the renewed disagreement between the former president and his former deputy is expected to attract further political reactions.
Copyright/plagiarism note: This is a fresh rewrite in original wording. It summarises the reported facts without reproducing the source article’s paragraphs or distinctive prose. The key allegations are clearly attributed rather than presented as established facts.
