Atiku accuses Obasanjo of 20-year campaign of lies, deceit
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo of a two-decade campaign of lies and deceit, challenging recent allegations made by Obasanjo.
Intelligence analysis by Gemini 2.5 Flash
Atiku Abubakar, through his media adviser, Paul Ibe, claims that former President Olusegun Obasanjo consistently revives baseless allegations of betrayal and corruption against him, particularly as election cycles approach. Atiku's camp refutes Obasanjo's recent claims regarding the late Speaker Ghali Na’Abba and the 2003 presidential election, presenting counter-narratives and eviden…
Imagine two powerful grown-ups who used to work together, like a principal and a vice-principal. One of them, Mr. Obasanjo, keeps telling stories that the other, Mr. Atiku, tried to get him fired many years ago and was dishonest. But Mr. Atiku says those stories are not true and are just mean rumors, especially because Mr. Obasanjo brings them up every time there's a big election coming up. Mr. Atiku's team is showing old videos and stories from other people to prove he was actually very loyal.
Analysis
Ghali Na’Abba
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar's media adviser, Paul Ibe, directly challenged former President Olusegun Obasanjo's recent claim that Atiku mobilized the late Speaker Ghali Na’Abba to remove Obasanjo from office between 1999 and 2007. Ibe highlighted the timing of Obasanjo's allegation, noting it was made nearly three years after Na’Abba's passing in 2023, rendering him unable to respond. This strategic timing, according to Atiku's camp, is part of a recurring pattern where Obasanjo revives old allegations against Atiku as election cycles approach.
The Atiku camp further bolstered its rebuttal by citing Abubakar Bwari, a former Chief Whip during the 1999-2007 sessions, who contradicted Obasanjo's narrative. Bwari reportedly stated that Na’Abba never sought Obasanjo’s removal. Instead, Bwari claimed that Atiku himself acted as an emissary, mediating between the lawmakers and the former president, suggesting a role of loyalty rather than betrayal. This counter-narrative aims to dismantle Obasanjo's long-standing accusations by presenting an alternative account from a contemporary political figure.
Orji Uzor Kalu
Another significant point of contention addressed by Atiku's media team revolves around the events leading up to the 2003 presidential election. Paul Ibe referenced a video featuring former Abia State governor, Orji Uzor Kalu, who was then a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governor. Kalu's account directly challenges the narrative often promoted by Obasanjo's camp, which suggests that Obasanjo was compelled to kneel before Atiku to secure his support for a second term.
According to Kalu, it was Atiku who demonstrated loyalty by kneeling before 17 PDP governors, pleading for their support for Obasanjo's re-election. Kalu explicitly stated that Atiku expressed his unwillingness to be disloyal to Obasanjo, emphasizing that "four years is like four days." Furthermore, Kalu revealed that despite arrangements by PDP governors that could have positioned Atiku for the presidency, Atiku declined, citing Obasanjo's trust in him and his refusal to betray that confidence. This testimony from a former governor serves to portray Atiku as a loyal deputy, contrary to Obasanjo's allegations of betrayal.
Petroleum Technology Development Fund
The statement from Atiku's media adviser also revisited the controversial investigation into the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), an episode that significantly strained the relationship between Obasanjo and Atiku prior to the 2007 presidential election. Obasanjo had initiated a Senate investigation into alleged financial impropriety concerning the PTDF, a move Atiku consistently maintained was politically motivated and linked to his opposition to Obasanjo's third-term agenda. Atiku had denied any wrongdoing, asserting that the funds remained in fixed deposit accounts.
Paul Ibe drew upon the autobiography of the late Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, titled Awujale, to challenge the prevailing narrative surrounding the PTDF controversy. Oba Adetona's account detailed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission's (EFCC) treatment of Globacom Chairman, Mike Adenuga, including an alleged raid on his Lagos residence in July 2006. The monarch's book suggested that while the EFCC ostensibly pursued PTDF-related funds, there was "more beneath the veneer," implying a deeper political agenda. Ibe specifically rejected the allegation that Adenuga used PTDF money for Globacom's operating license, clarifying that Adenuga secured financing from BNP Paribas Bank for the transaction. The statement further highlighted Oba Adetona's account of Obasanjo later inviting Adenuga to Ota and requesting his assistance for constructing an administrative block at Bells University, a project handled by Cachez Turnkey Projects Ltd, suggesting a complex interplay of political and business interests.
Key points
- Atiku Abubakar accuses Olusegun Obasanjo of a 20-year campaign of lies and political manipulation.
- Obasanjo recently alleged Atiku mobilized the late Ghali Na’Abba to remove him from office, an accusation Atiku's camp refutes.
- Atiku's media adviser, Paul Ibe, cited former Chief Whip Abubakar Bwari, who claimed Atiku acted as an emissary for Obasanjo, not against him.
- Former Abia State governor Orji Uzor Kalu's video account suggests Atiku knelt before PDP governors to support Obasanjo's re-election, contradicting claims of Obasanjo being forced to kneel.
- The statement revisited the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) controversy, using Oba Sikiru Adetona's autobiography to challenge Obasanjo's narrative and deny financial impropriety by Atiku or Mike Adenuga.
The ongoing public feud between two influential political figures could further deepen political divisions in Nigeria, potentially distracting from critical governance issues and eroding public trust in the political class. Such persistent accusations and counter-accusations might also fuel political instability and hinder efforts towards national unity.
