Atiku Fires Back at Obasanjo, Defends Role in 1999 Election Victory
By Ebi COLLINS
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has rejected former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s claim that choosing him as his running mate in the 1999 presidential election was the greatest mistake of his administration, insisting that he played a pivotal role in Obasanjo’s political resurgence and eventual victory.
Responding in a statement reported by Punch on Saturday, Atiku said he stood firmly by Obasanjo during his incarceration and continued to support him after his release from prison, describing attempts to diminish his contributions as a distortion of history.
According to the former vice president, Obasanjo returned from prison with very little, prompting him to provide accommodation, clothing and other forms of assistance to help the former military leader rebuild his life and political career.
“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,” Atiku stated.
He further maintained that he made significant political and personal sacrifices to mobilise support and forge the alliances that culminated in Obasanjo’s election as president in 1999.
Atiku also defended his opposition to the controversial third-term agenda during the Obasanjo administration, saying he has never regretted resisting the proposal because his decision was driven by a commitment to safeguarding Nigeria’s Constitution and preserving democratic governance.
While acknowledging that his relationship with Obasanjo later deteriorated, Atiku said he harbours no regrets over the support he gave the former president but insisted that historical events should not be rewritten in a manner that ignores his contributions to Obasanjo’s political success.
He also expressed concern that renewed focus on old political disagreements was diverting attention from more pressing national challenges, including economic hardship, insecurity and unemployment.
The exchange followed Obasanjo’s recent assertion that selecting Atiku as his running mate in 1999 was the biggest mistake of his presidency, reigniting public debate over the political partnership that ushered both leaders into office at the dawn of Nigeria’s Fourth Republic.
