Political Titans Collide: Obasanjo and Atiku Reignite Feud Over Impeachment and Bribery Claims

A long-running political feud between former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has been reignited, with both prominent Nigerian figures exchanging accusations concerning an alleged impeachment plot and the controversial third-term agenda that marked a significant strain in their relationship while in office. The latest salvo comes from former President Obasanjo, who publicly alleged that Atiku Abubakar offered the late former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ghali Umar Na’Abba, a sum of ₦5 million to initiate impeachment proceedings against him during his first term as president.

According to Obasanjo, this serious allegation surfaced while he was responding to remarks made by former Ogun State governor, Olusegun Osoba, regarding political events leading up to the 2003 general election. Obasanjo detailed that Atiku had met privately with Na’Abba at the Presidency, where he purportedly encouraged the former Speaker to begin impeachment proceedings, insisting that Obasanjo should serve only a single term in office. The former President claimed that this alleged meeting and the associated payment were meticulously documented and subsequently reported to him by his then Chief of Staff, whom he described as a professional intelligence officer. Despite the alleged impeachment attempt, Obasanjo maintained that he was not unduly worried, as he believed there were no constitutional grounds for his removal from office.

Reacting swiftly to these allegations, Atiku Abubakar, through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, vehemently dismissed Obasanjo's claims. Atiku questioned the former President’s decision to wait until after Na’Abba’s death to make such a grave accusation, arguing that the late former Speaker was no longer alive to confirm or deny the allegation. He described the timing as not only reckless but also fundamentally unfair to Na'Abba's memory, asserting that by invoking a deceased man as the principal witness, Obasanjo had deprived Nigerians of the opportunity to hear the other side of the story. Atiku further challenged why no legal action was pursued at the time if there was credible evidence to substantiate the alleged criminal conduct, noting that a government wielding the full powers of the Nigerian state should have acted.

The former Vice President alleged that the recycled accusation was a desperate attempt by Obasanjo to rewrite history, damage his reputation, and confer an undeserved political advantage on Obasanjo’s preferred candidate ahead of the 2027 presidential election. Atiku maintained that the true roots of Obasanjo’s enduring hostility towards him are well-known, stemming from his firm opposition to the unconstitutional third-term agenda. As a democrat, Atiku said he chose the path of constitutionalism and the rule of law, defending democratic principles against personal ambition. He successfully asserted his rights through the courts in a series of landmark legal victories against a sitting President, battles that are now integral to Nigeria’s democratic history. It is evident, he concluded, that the bitterness from that defining period has not left former President Obasanjo.

Atiku emphasized that he would not be distracted by exchanging words over historical political disputes, especially at a time when Nigeria is grappling with unprecedented economic hardship, rising insecurity, mass unemployment, hunger, and disturbing questions surrounding the management of public resources. He stated that the immediate task before leaders is not to rewrite history but to rescue the nation's future, stressing that Nigerians are more interested in understanding why food prices continue to soar, public debt continues to rise despite increased revenues, and why scandals continue to trail the current administration, rather than revisiting political disagreements from over two decades ago. While acknowledging former President Obasanjo’s right to support any candidate of his choice, Atiku urged him to do so openly and allow Nigerians to judge such support on its merits, rather than attempting to influence public opinion through allegations that can no longer be independently verified due to the principal witness's passing.