Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has dismissed former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s recent allegations against him, accusing the ex-president of attempting to rewrite history and influence the political landscape ahead of the 2027 general election.
In a statement issued on Friday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku denied Obasanjo’s claim that he bribed the late former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ghali Umar Na’Abba, to commence impeachment proceedings against him during their time in office.
The former vice president described the allegation as reckless, insisting it was unfair to make such claims after Na’Abba’s death when he could no longer respond.
He said, “As Africans, we understand the solemn duty of speaking truthfully about the dead. It is therefore deeply troubling that former President Obasanjo has chosen this moment to allege that I gave the late Rt. Hon. Ghali Umar Na’Abba a bribe to impeach him.
“If this allegation were true, why did he never make it while Rt. Hon. Na’Abba was alive? Why wait until the only man who could confirm or refute the claim has departed this world? By invoking a deceased man as the principal witness to such a grave allegation, former President Obasanjo has denied Nigerians the opportunity of hearing the other side of the story.
“The late Rt. Hon. Ghali Na’Abba cannot now defend his own integrity or respond to the allegation that he accepted a bribe. It is unfair to his memory and contrary to our cultural values to conscript the dead into contemporary political battles when they no longer have a voice.”
Atiku also argued that the allegation lacked any judicial backing or official confirmation.
He said, “If there was indeed evidence of any criminal conduct as alleged, Nigerians are entitled to ask why no action was taken at the time by a government that wielded the full powers of the Nigerian state.”
Questioning the timing of the allegation, Atiku suggested it was politically motivated as preparations for the 2027 general election gather momentum.
He stated, “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. Nigerians, however, know better. They are too discerning to be distracted by stale allegations resurrected for political convenience.”
The former vice president maintained that his disagreement with Obasanjo stemmed from his opposition to the former president’s controversial third-term agenda.
“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 said.
Atiku stressed that he would not be drawn into prolonged political exchanges over events that occurred more than two decades ago, saying Nigerians were more concerned about the country’s current economic and governance challenges.
“The task before leaders today is not to rewrite history but to rescue the future. Nigerians are more interested in knowing why food prices continue to soar, why public debt continues to rise despite increased revenues, and why scandal after scandal continues to trail the current administration than in revisiting political disagreements from over two decades ago,” he added.
He concluded by saying Obasanjo was free to support any candidate ahead of the 2027 election but urged him to do so openly rather than through what he described as politically motivated allegations.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
What do you think about this?
Drop your opinion in the comment section.
FOLLOW US & Share this with someone who needs to see this.
