The feud between former President Olusegun Obasanjo and his former deputy, Atiku Abubakar, has boiled over again, with the ADC presidential candidate declaring that Obasanjo “possesses no electoral value” and owed his 1999 victory to Northern support.
Speaking with journalists on Wednesday, Atiku dismissed Obasanjo’s influence, saying the former president could not even deliver his home state or the South-West during the 1999 election.
“In 1999, he could not even win his own state or the South-West; it was Arewa that made him President. He possesses no electoral value,” Atiku said, according to Tribune.
The latest exchange marks a fresh round of hostilities between the two men who ran Nigeria together from 1999 to 2007.
Obasanjo had earlier described picking Atiku as running mate in 1999 as the “biggest mistake” of his presidency. He also accused Atiku of disloyalty and of being involved in an alleged plot to impeach him while in office.
Atiku rejected that narrative outright. He accused Obasanjo of “rewriting history” to gain political advantage ahead of the 2027 elections.
“I supported him after his release from prison and helped build the political structure that facilitated our victory in 1999,” Atiku said, defending his role in the administration.
Shifting to the coming election, Atiku used the media chat to sell his ADC candidacy to young Nigerians.
He said that during his time as vice president, he created opportunities that produced a new generation of leaders now serving as governors, ministers, directors and other public officeholders.
“If elected president in 2027, my administration will continue to create opportunities for young Nigerians to serve and take up leadership positions,” he promised.
Atiku is leading the ADC ticket after aligning with other opposition figures in a coalition aimed at challenging the ruling APC in 2027.
The renewed spat with Obasanjo underscores how personal and political battles from the Fourth Republic are still shaping alignments ahead of the next general election.
