How Atiku Gave Speaker Na’Abba N5m To impeach me – Obasanjo

Nigeria’s former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, says it was Atiku Abubakar, then Vice President, who masterminded the 2002 impêachment move against him by the House of Representatives led by Ghali Umar Na’Abba as Speaker.

Obasanjo said Atiku wanted to take over as President by all means.

Obasanjo said this in a letter he addressed to a former governor of Ogun State, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, in reply to the latter’s comment on how the former President deceived Yoruba leaders.

On how the impēãchment plot reportedly happened, Obasanjo, who added that former President Shehu Shagari intervened on issue, said:

“Na’Abba’s impēachment began at the presidency by the Vice-President, who on a Friday when I was out of the office, invited Na’Abba to his office and convinced him as he had convinced himself and some others but of insignificant number that I should have only one term as Presidente and this was the act of a man I brought up from governorship to Vice-President. From the first day as Vice-President, he raised campaigners for his presidency. On the Friday, he invited Na’Abba, he gave him 5 million naira to begin his impeachment work. It was all noted, recorded and reported to me by my Chief of Staff, a professional intelligence officer.

“The game continued to be played on with me treating it with cøntempt as I have committed no impérachable offence except my Vice-President who wanted to take over by hook or by crook. It was President Shagari who, on his own volition, asked me about impeãchment and I told him that for me, there was absolutely nothing in it. He requested for my permission to handle it and, of course, I gave him the go-ahead.”

Recall that on 13 August 2002, the House of Representatives passed a motion giving President Obasanjo 14 days to resign or face impëachment over alleged constitutional breaches.

In September 2002, the House formally listed 17 allegations against Obasanjo, including failure to implement budgets, constitutional viõlations, and authorizing military operations without legislative approval.

The impeachment process did not succeed after intervention by respected national leaders who persuaded Na’Abba and Senate President Pius Anyim to abandon the effort in the interest of Nigeria’s young democracy.

SOURCE: Ethnic African Stories