FORMER Vice-President Atiku Abubakar spoke Monday on the war of attrition between him and former President Olusegun Obasanjo when they were in office.

He said he confronted Obasanjo when he realised that he was attempting to become a life president.

Atiku, who spoke at a parley with media executives, said the disagreement had nothing to do with money or corrupt practices; it was all a power tussle.

He also disclosed that though he did not require any waiver to run for president on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he has written the party to request for a waiver.

He said he was optimistic that the party would allow him to contest because the Dr. Alex Ekwueme report and the recommendations of the white paper that was approved by NEC had granted him automatic waiver.

"I have filed for waiver and I know I will get it. I would want to see how I would be denied waiver. I don’t know how the PDP will get out of this. But if they try to get out of it, then the court is there to decide," he said.

Asked if he fell out with the former president over money or power, Atiku said: "I can tell you, it was all about power. Not long after we came into power, Obasanjo called me and said that in 1979 he left Ghadaffi, Mubarak, Eyadema, Mugabe and some of them in office. And he has returned to meet them again, 20 years after. As soon as he said that, something struck me.

"I told him that Nigeria is a different country and that when it was time, he just had to go.

"Later in 2005, he also called me and said that Prof. Jerry Gana and Kanu Agabi were coming to see me. He said we should discuss. When they came, the three of us met and they brought out their files and proposed amendments to the constitution. For more than three hours, we went through the amendments and when we got to the section on tenure, they had removed the tenure limits. Then I knew that was why he asked me to meet with them.

"I asked them why it was removed and they were looking at me. Then, I said to them, ‘Are you sure it was Obasanjo who sent you to me?’ They said ‘yes’. Then I asked if they were ready to take my message to him and they said ‘yes’. Then I told them to go and tell him that not only will I not support the idea, I will also fight it. So, they packed their files and left."

Atiku went on: "After then, I knew there would be trouble. So, I quickly opened a secretariat at the venue of the Constitutional Conference, equipped it and then started mobilising against the plot."

The former presidential candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (CAN) said unknown to many Nigerians, what Obasanjo was planning was not third term but life presidency.

He said he resolved to fight with his last blood to ensure that Obasanjo’s dream was never realised.

"I knew then that what he was planning was a life presidency, having compared with Ghadaffi, Mubarak and the rest. I told him that this is Nigeria and not any of those countries he was referring to. So, that was it. It was not about money or corruption.

"I knew Baba (Obasanjo) was not looking for third term, but he was looking for life presidency. And I was prepared to give my head for that. It is not for myself, but for Nigeria," he said.

He, however, said he has genuinely forgiven Obasanjo after the reconciliation that was was brokered by Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola.

he hasnt said anything new-

The same way he wanted to fight OBJ to his last drop over his third term/life Presidency, so are so many others also who will fight with thier last drop to prevent Atiku from becoming the President of Nigeria.

@labiyemmy:

he hasnt said anything new-

The same way he wanted to fight OBJ to his last drop over his third term/life Presidency, so are so many others also who will fight with thier last drop to prevent Atiku from becoming the President of Nigeria.

Atiku is the most corrupt Nigerian Politician that i have ever known, he will fail

atiku should go n sleep, e should nt tink dis wud help gain popularity, bunch of idiots!!!!!!!!1