Obasanjo: Picking Atiku as Running Mate Was My Biggest Political Mistake
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has described his decision to choose Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as his running mate in the 1999 presidential election as the biggest mistake he made during his political career.
Obasanjo made the statement in Lagos at the unveiling of musician and activist Charly Boy’s foundation and memoir, “999: A Memoir in Tribute to Late Justice Chukwudifu Oputa.”
During the event, he was asked about the biggest mistake he made while serving as president. He said he would not have picked his former vice president if he had known him better at the time.
“Looking back, the man I picked as my running mate, my number two — if I had known him as I came to know him later, I would not have picked him,” Obasanjo said.
When Charly Boy asked if he was referring to Atiku Abubakar, Obasanjo confirmed that he was talking about his former vice president.
He, however, said he had no personal bitterness toward Atiku, adding that their political differences did not stop him from achieving his goals for Nigeria.
The relationship between both leaders became tense during their second term in office from 2003 to 2007 due to political disagreements.
This is not the first time Obasanjo has criticised his decision to choose Atiku as his deputy. In 2022, he told students at an event in Abeokuta that selecting his “Number Two” was one of the genuine mistakes he made in public service, but said he believed God helped him overcome the situation.
The latest comments came shortly after another public disagreement between the two politicians over allegations by Obasanjo that Atiku was involved in an attempt to impeach him before the 2003 election. Atiku rejected the claim, describing it as unfair and baseless.
At the Charly Boy event, Obasanjo also spoke about the Nigerian Civil War, rejecting claims that it was genocide. He said the war was aimed at preserving Nigeria’s unity and admitted that it caused suffering across the country.
He explained that he took measures to reduce civilian casualties during military operations, giving the recapture of Owerri as an example. According to him, he avoided bombing the city directly because of the risk to innocent civilians.
Obasanjo also addressed questions about his ancestry, stating that his parents were from Abeokuta, Ogun State, and that he still knows the location of his family home there.
The event was attended by notable figures including former Commonwealth Secretary-General Chief Emeka Anyaoku, Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, businessman Leo Stan Ekeh, book reviewer Dr Austin Tam-George, and veteran broadcaster Bisi Olatilo.
