Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has come under renewed criticism from the All Progressives Congress (APC), which has backed former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s latest remarks against him and urged Nigerians not to entrust him with leadership in 2027.
The ruling party said Obasanjo’s assessment of Atiku should be taken seriously, arguing that the former president spoke from firsthand experience after serving alongside the former vice president between 1999 and 2007.
APC National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru, told Sunday PUNCH that Obasanjo’s comments reflected his knowledge of Atiku’s character and should serve as a warning to Nigerians.
“Obasanjo has said so many things about Atiku, and he is in a position to know who the former vice president is,” Basiru said.
“Obasanjo’s comments are a warning to Nigerians. No serious Nigerian should take Atiku seriously or give him another leadership opportunity. Obasanjo has described him as corrupt, disloyal and many other things.
“In any event, Obasanjo is not supporting the APC; he is supporting other people. But his statement about Atiku comes from a position of knowledge because he knows him very well. In the interest of the country, no Nigerian should take Atiku seriously.”
Obasanjo had, during a fireside conversation with veteran entertainer and activist Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charly Boy, in Lagos on Friday, described his decision to choose Atiku as his running mate in the 1999 presidential election as the biggest mistake of his presidency.
“The man I picked as my running mate, my number two. If I had known him as I came to know him later, I would not have picked him,” the former president said.
The latest criticism adds to years of public disagreements between the two leaders, whose relationship deteriorated while they were in office and eventually led to Atiku’s exit from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the Action Congress in 2006.
Responding, Atiku dismissed suggestions that Obasanjo’s remarks could hurt his prospects in the 2027 presidential election, insisting that only Nigerians would determine the outcome at the polls.
Speaking through his media aide, Paul Ibe, the former vice president accused Obasanjo of engaging in vindictive politics and attempting to influence public opinion.
“How will it affect his chances? The election will be determined by Nigerians,” Ibe said.
“In all these shenanigans, Atiku has not responded directly to Obasanjo, and he will not. Obasanjo is trying to muddy the waters, but when he is done with these vindictive politics, Nigerians—not Obasanjo—will decide Atiku’s fate.”
He further accused the former president of hypocrisy, saying Nigerians had come to understand his true character.
“All he has said will not affect Atiku’s chances in 2027. Why would it? He is a former president, but he has only one vote,” Ibe added.
Asked whether Obasanjo’s remarks were intended to favour another presidential aspirant, Ibe said the former president was free to support any candidate of his choice but urged him to act with fairness and statesmanship.
