PICKING ATIKU AS MY RUNNING MATE WAS MY BIGGEST MISTAKE – OBASANJO

PICKING ATIKU AS MY RUNNING MATE WAS MY BIGGEST MISTAKE – OBASANJO


Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has described his decision to choose former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as his running mate in the 1999 presidential election as the biggest mistake he made during his time in office.

Obasanjo made the remark on Friday during a fireside chat with veteran entertainer and activist Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charly Boy, at the unveiling of Charly Boy’s foundation and memoir, 999: A Memoir in Tribute to Late Justice Chukwudifu Oputa, in Lagos.

Speaking on mistakes made while serving as Nigeria’s president, Obasanjo said no leader could claim to have governed without making errors. However, he singled out his choice of vice president as the decision he most regretted.

According to him, if he had known Atiku Abubakar as well then as he came to know him later, he would not have selected him as his deputy.

When asked by Charly Boy to identify his greatest mistake in government, Obasanjo said, “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.”

When pressed to confirm whether he was referring to Atiku, the former president replied that he was referring to his vice president.

Reflecting further, Obasanjo said he was grateful that events did not derail his administration or distract him from focusing on Nigeria's development.

He added that he held no bitterness towards Atiku, saying each person acted according to their convictions while he believed divine intervention enabled him to fulfil his responsibilities as president.

Obasanjo and Atiku were elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 1999 and served together until 2007. Their political relationship later deteriorated during Obasanjo’s second term amid disagreements over governance and succession politics.

During the event, Obasanjo also reflected on the Nigerian Civil War, rejecting claims that it amounted to genocide. He maintained that the military campaign was aimed at preserving Nigeria's unity and said he deliberately took steps to minimise civilian casualties, including avoiding bombing the city of Owerri during military operations.

The event attracted several notable personalities, including former Commonwealth Secretary-General Chief Emeka Anyaoku, Labour Party's 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi, businessman Leo Stan Ekeh, broadcaster Bisi Olatilo, and other distinguished guests.

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