Obasanjo to Atiku: You’re my biggest mistake

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has reignited his long-running political feud with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, describing his decision to select Atiku as his running mate in the 1999 presidential election as the biggest mistake of his presidency.

The relationship between the two former leaders deteriorated during their second term in office between 2003 and 2007, leading to years of political and legal battles. Although they later reconciled—culminating in Atiku visiting Obasanjo at his Hilltop residence in Abeokuta—their differences have resurfaced ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

The renewed exchange began after Obasanjo accused Atiku of attempting to bribe the late Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ghali Na’Abba, to support efforts to impeach him while he was president. He also blamed the defeat of several South-West governors in the 2003 elections on their alliance with Atiku.

In response, Atiku, a leading contender in the 2027 presidential race, alleged that Obasanjo, while publicly expressing support for Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), was in reality working to advance the interests of a fellow South-West politician. Obasanjo and incumbent President Bola Tinubu are both from the South-West region.

Speaking on Friday during a fireside chat with Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charly Boy, at the unveiling of the Charly Boy Foundation and the launch of his memoir, 999: A Memoir in Tribute to Late Justice Chukwudifu Oputa, Obasanjo reflected on what he considered his greatest mistake in office.

"When I was in government, 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," Obasanjo said.

When Charly Boy asked whether he was referring to Atiku, Obasanjo replied, "My vice president. I don't know what name you want to give him, but my vice president, I mean that."

He added that despite their differences, he harboured no bitterness.

"If I had known him as I came to know him later, I would not have picked him. Thank God his actions and reactions did not overwhelm me or divert my focus from Nigeria. There is no bitterness. He did what he believed he should do, and God did what He needed to do, enabling me to achieve what I was able to achieve," he said.

Obasanjo also reflected on the Nigerian Civil War, rejecting claims that the conflict amounted to genocide. He maintained that the military campaign was aimed at preserving Nigeria's unity and said efforts were made to minimise civilian casualties.

Recalling the recapture of Owerri, he said, "I did not drop a single bomb inside Owerri because it would have been destructive and would have killed innocent civilians. I dropped my bombs short of Owerri and beyond Owerri to warn people that we were coming."