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Fact: See How Atiku And Obasenjo Political Friendship Started by mrox4d(m): 4:34am On Feb 21, 2019 |
A new book has revealed how former
Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar, saved ex-
President Olusegun Obasanjo from near
bankruptcy before he emerged president
in 1999.
Atiku and Obasanjo
According to the new book, entitled ‘’Too
Good to Die: Third Term and the Myth of
the Indispensable Man in Africa,’ Atiku
made all his resources available for
Obasanjo’s presidential campaign.
The book, written by former chairman of
National Human Rights Commission, NHRC,
Chidi Odinkalu, and Ayisha Osori, author of
‘’Love Does Not Win Elections,” also
revealed how Obasanjo beat late Alex
Ekwueme to the presidential ticket of
Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the 1999
election.
Quoting an account from Atiku, the
authors said the trio of Ibrahim
Babangida, Theophilus Danjuma and
Abdulsalami Abubakar wanted PDP to
adopt Obasanjo as their presidential
candidate “because they considered him
the best person for the job.”
“Implicit in their position was their belief
that they knew how to manipulate
Obasanjo and the fact that Obasanjo did
their bidding in 1979. They felt secure that
he could be managed again,” the authors
wrote.
Atiku was reportedly asked to join a team
to Ogun to inform Obasanjo that he was
going to run for the highest office in the
land.
“When Atiku and Obasanjo discussed the
call to serve as president, Obasanjo said he
could not be president because he was a
nearly bankrupt ex-convict. Atiku, through
General (Aliyu) Gusau, paid money into
Obasanjo’s account to begin his financial
rehabilitation.
“Head of State Abdulsalami Abubakar
helped out by granting him an
unconditional pardon. Atiku put
everything he had at his disposal to
support Obasanjo’s emergence as the PDP
presidential candidate and, when he
joined the ticket as the vice-presidential
nominee, continued to make his assets
available to Obasanjo and the campaign.
“During a campaign stop in Atiku’s village,
Jada, Adamawa State, Obasanjo spent a
night in Atiku’s home. When he woke up
the next day, he reportedly asked Atiku
when he built the house and, to Atiku’s
response, reportedly retorted: “(I) will
never be poor again,’’ the book recounted.
Atiku served as vice-president to Obasanjo
from 1999 to 2007. He aspired to succeed
Obasanjo in 2003 but the elder statesman
went ahead to complete another term.
By 2007 when Obasanjo’s second term
ended, both men had fallen apart.
Obasanjo’s plan to go for a third term was
also said to have worsened their dispute.
Obasanjo recently kicked against Atiku’s
presidential ambition, saying the former
vice-president “can never enjoy” his
support for a political office.
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