- Former President Olusegun Obasanjo made the admission during a fireside chat with musician and activist Charly Boy in Lagos
- The event was held to unveil Charly Boy’s foundation and his memoir, drawing prominent figures including Peter Obi and Pa Emeka Anyaoku
- Ex-President Obasanjo and Atiku served together on the PDP platform from 1999 to 2007 before their relationship turned sour over political differences
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over nine years of experience covering politics, elections, public affairs, and governance in Nigeria and Africa.
Ikeja, Lagos state – Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has publicly declared that choosing Atiku Abubakar as his vice presidential running mate in 1999 was the single greatest error of his political career.
As reported by Vanguard, Obasanjo made the remark on Friday, July 31, in Lagos during a fireside chat with musician and activist Charly Boy, at an event organised to unveil Charly Boy’s foundation and his memoir, “999: A Memoir in Tribute to Late Justice Chukwudifu Oputa.”
Source: Getty Images
“I would say the greatest mistake I made was picking Atiku Abubakar as my vice president in 1999,” the former president said.
Obasanjo speaks on Atiku
Despite the admission, Obasanjo said he carried no bitterness from the experience. He expressed gratitude that Atiku’s conduct during their time in office did not ultimately undermine his administration or pull his focus away from governing Nigeria.
“There is no bitterness in me over what happened,” he said. “Despite everything, I was able to achieve what I set out to achieve while in power.”
In hindsight, he said he would not have made the same choice. The two men ran together under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and jointly led the country from 1999 to 2007. Their once-united front unravelled during the second term, as political disagreements drove a wedge between them that has never fully closed.
Obasanjo also used the occasion to address persistent questions about his ancestry, saying his parents were from Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun state.
He said:
“I still know our family house there.”
Heavyweights attend Lagos event
The event drew a notable gathering of public figures. Elder Emeka Anyaoku, former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, was present, as was Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for the 2027 elections. Business mogul Leo Stan Ekeh donated N20 million each on behalf of Obasanjo and Anyaoku at the occasion.
Book reviewer Austin Tam-George and veteran broadcaster Bisi Olatilo were also among the dignitaries in attendance.
Watch the video of Obasanjo and other dignitaries at Charly Boy’s event below, as shared on X (formerly Twitter):
Read more on Obasanjo:
Obasanjo reacts to claim his father is Igbo
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Obasanjo clarified the claim of his alleged Igbo paternity, declaring that such an insinuation makes him laugh.
Obasanjo added that irrespective of the cultural differences, “we own this country together.”
Source: Legit.ng