Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has responded strongly to former President Olusegun Obasanjo over recent allegations against him, insisting that his role in opposing the controversial third-term agenda remains one of the proudest moments of his political career.
Atiku, through a statement issued by his media aide, Phrank Shaibu, dismissed Obasanjo’s claims that he financed an impeachment plot against him during their time in office. He described the allegations as politically motivated and questioned why they surfaced only after the death of former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ghali Umar Na’Abba, who could no longer respond to the accusations.
The former vice president maintained that his disagreement with Obasanjo stemmed from his firm opposition to any attempt to alter Nigeria’s Constitution to permit a third presidential term.
“My greatest offence was standing firmly against the unconstitutional third-term agenda. I remain proud of defending democracy, the rule of law and the Constitution,” Atiku said.
Atiku also recalled his support for Obasanjo following the latter’s release from prison, saying he stood by him during difficult times and contributed significantly to his political comeback.
According to him, it is regrettable that their long-standing political relationship has deteriorated into repeated public exchanges over events that occurred more than two decades ago.
He further argued that rather than dwelling on old political disagreements, national leaders should focus on addressing Nigeria’s pressing challenges, including economic hardship, insecurity, unemployment and rising public debt.
Atiku added that Nigerians are more interested in practical solutions to the country’s current problems than in renewed political disputes from the past. He also urged political leaders to conduct the 2027 political contest on the basis of issues, policies and performance rather than personal attacks.
