“My Biggest Political Mistake”: Obasanjo Takes a Massive Swing at Atiku Abubakar

(By The Political Razzmatazz Editorial Team | Political News)

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo is definitely not holding back. During a recent public event in Lagos, the elder statesman dropped a political bombshell by openly admitting that picking Atiku Abubakar as his running mate in 1999 was the biggest mistake of his entire political career.

Speaking during a fireside chat on Friday with veteran entertainer Charly Boy, Obasanjo made it very plain: if he had known then what he later found out about the man, he would never have chosen him.

Here is a closer look at the deep history between these two leaders and why this public attack is happening right now.

A Long and Bitter History

This heavy criticism from Obasanjo is not coming out of nowhere. The two leaders share a very long, very bitter history that spans over two decades.

They served together from 1999 to 2007 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). However, their relationship completely broke down during their second term in office.

• The Third-Term Agenda: The tension exploded when Atiku fiercely opposed Obasanjo’s highly controversial push for a third term in office.
• The 2007 Defection: As the 2007 elections approached, Atiku eventually defected from the ruling party after Obasanjo failed in a massive, public attempt to push him out of the vice presidency altogether.

Since then, the two have rarely seen eye to eye, with Obasanjo frequently portraying his former deputy as untrustworthy in his books and public statements.

The Timing is No Accident

In Nigerian politics, timing is everything. Obasanjo’s decision to openly attack Atiku right now is certainly no accident.

Atiku Abubakar is currently the 2027 presidential candidate for the African Democratic Congress (ADC). In recent weeks, Atiku has been heavily pressing Obasanjo to openly declare who he is actually backing for the next general elections.

Adding fuel to the fire, Atiku has publicly accused Obasanjo of quietly working behind the scenes to support his “kinsman”—a very clear and direct political jab at the current President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Obasanjo’s Final Word

In response to the pressure, Obasanjo’s remarks on Friday speak completely for themselves.

While the former president noted that he harbors no bitterness and thanked God that Atiku’s actions did not derail his administration or harm Nigeria, his message to his former deputy was crystal clear: you were a massive mistake.

As the race for 2027 slowly begins to gather momentum, this public clash shows that the old political wounds between these two heavyweights are far from healed.

What do you think about Obasanjo’s comments? Is he right, or is this just another political game ahead of 2027? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!