Obasanjo had no electoral strength, Arewa made him President — Atiku

The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, Atiku Abubakar, has claimed that former President Olusegun Obasanjo did not have enough electoral support to win the 1999 presidential election on his own.

Atiku made the statement on Wednesday while speaking with journalists amid the growing disagreement between him and Obasanjo over their political history and their roles in the events that led to the 1999 election victory.

The former vice president argued that Obasanjo could not secure victory in his home state or across the South-West during the election. He credited the support Obasanjo received from northern voters, particularly the Arewa region, for his emergence as president.

The comments have added to the ongoing exchange between the two former political allies, who have recently disagreed over their time in government between 1999 and 2007.

The dispute became more intense after Obasanjo described his decision to select Atiku as his running mate in 1999 as one of the biggest mistakes of his presidency. He also accused his former deputy of disloyalty and alleged involvement in efforts to remove him from office.

Atiku has rejected Obasanjo’s account of their relationship, accusing the former president of presenting a distorted version of events for political reasons ahead of the 2027 general election.

The former vice president has also defended his contribution to Obasanjo’s political rise, saying he supported him after his release from prison and played a role in building the political structure that helped secure their victory in 1999.

Turning to his plans for the 2027 election, Atiku said his previous time in government created opportunities for many young Nigerians to enter public service and develop their careers.

He noted that some beneficiaries of those opportunities later became governors, ministers, directors and holders of other senior government positions.

Atiku said he would continue with such efforts if elected president in 2027, promising to give more young Nigerians opportunities to participate in government and take up leadership responsibilities.

The former vice president is contesting the 2027 presidential election under the ADC after joining forces with several opposition politicians seeking to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress.