Atiku Accuses Obasanjo of Reviving False Allegations to Benefit ‘Kinsman’

• Atiku says renewed bribery allegation is politically motivated and timed for 2027
• Insists opposition to Obasanjo’s third-term agenda triggered lingering hostility
• Challenges ex-president to openly declare preferred candidate instead of reviving old claims

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has accused former President Olusegun Obasanjo of resurrecting what he described as unfounded allegations against him to advance the political fortunes of his “kinsman” ahead of the 2027 general election.

Atiku made the allegation while reacting to Obasanjo’s recent claim that he financed an impeachment plot against him during their time in office.

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The former president had alleged that Atiku handed the late Ghali Umar Na’Abba, then Speaker of the House of Representatives, ₦5 million to commence impeachment proceedings against him during his first term as president.

Responding through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku dismissed the accusation as a politically motivated attempt to tarnish his reputation at a critical moment in Nigeria’s political cycle.

He argued that the timing of the allegation was not accidental, saying it was aimed at influencing public perception ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

“Coming at a time when the political landscape ahead of the 2027 general election is taking shape, the obvious objective is to besmirch my person and reputation and confer an undeserved political advantage on the former President’s kinsman,” Atiku said.

Although Atiku did not identify the individual he referred to as Obasanjo’s kinsman, he maintained that Nigerians were capable of seeing through what he described as recycled political accusations.

The former vice-president linked the renewed criticism to his resistance against Obasanjo’s controversial third-term agenda while they both served in government.

According to him, his decision to oppose any constitutional amendment that would have extended Obasanjo’s tenure became the foundation of the strained relationship between them.

“My offence was that I stood firmly against the unconstitutional third-term agenda.

“As a democrat, I chose the path of constitutionalism and the rule of law. Rather than surrender democratic principles on the altar of personal ambition, I defended the Constitution and successfully asserted my rights through the courts in a series of landmark legal victories against a sitting President.

“Those battles are now part of Nigeria’s democratic history. It is evident that the bitterness arising from that defining period has failed to leave former President Obasanjo,” he stated.

Atiku said his priority remained addressing Nigeria’s current challenges rather than engaging in disputes over past political events.

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He listed economic hardship, insecurity, unemployment, hunger and concerns over public resource management as issues demanding national attention.

The former vice-president also said Obasanjo was free to support any candidate of his choice for the 2027 election but urged him to do so openly instead of reviving allegations that, according to him, can no longer be independently verified.

“If former President Obasanjo has chosen to take a political position ahead of 2027, he should simply declare it and allow Nigerians to judge it on its merits, rather than attempting to influence public opinion through allegations that can no longer be tested because the principal witness is no longer alive,” he said.

He added that his political focus remained on providing credible alternatives, defending democratic values, demanding accountability and working with other stakeholders to promote transparent and people-centred governance.