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 of his political career.
He made the remark on Friday in Lagos during a fireside conversation with veteran entertainer Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charly Boy, at the unveiling of the Charly Boy Foundation and the launch of the memoir 999: A Memoir in Tribute to Late Justice Chukwudifu Oputa.
Obasanjo and Atiku were elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 1999 and served together as president and vice president until the end of their administration in 2007. Looking back on that period, the former president said that if given another opportunity, he would not make the same choice for the position of vice president.
Despite describing the decision as his greatest political error, Obasanjo said he does not hold any personal resentment over how his relationship with Atiku later unfolded. He explained that although disagreements emerged during their years in office, those challenges did not stop his administration from carrying out its programmes and achieving its objectives.
During the event, Obasanjo also addressed recurring claims about his origin. He maintained that his family traces its roots to Abeokuta in Ogun State, adding that his ancestral family house is still located there.
The event brought together guests from different sectors to celebrate the launch of the Charly Boy Foundation and the publication of the memoir dedicated to the late Justice Chukwudifu Oputa, a respected jurist remembered for his contributions to Nigeria’s judiciary and public life.