The political exchange between former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar intensified on Thursday after Atiku dismissed allegations that he bribed the Ghali Umar Na’Abba-led House of Representatives to initiate impeachment proceedings against Obasanjo before the 2003 general elections.
The allegation was contained in a 23 July letter by Obasanjo responding to former Ogun State Governor Olusegun Osoba’s reflections on the 2003 elections, published in The Legal Observer on 20 July. In the letter, Obasanjo addressed the strained relationship between him and his former deputy.
Reacting through a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku described the allegation as baseless and politically motivated, claiming it was intended to damage his reputation and strengthen the political prospects of Obasanjo’s preferred candidate ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), said it was unfair for Obasanjo to accuse him of bribing the late former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ghali Umar Na’Abba, because the former lawmaker is no longer alive to respond to the claim.
He argued that making such a serious allegation involving a deceased person denied Nigerians the opportunity to hear Na’Abba’s response or clarification.
“As Africans, we understand the solemn duty of speaking truthfully about the dead. It is therefore deeply troubling that former President Obasanjo has chosen this moment to allege that I gave the late Rt Hon Ghali Umar Na’Abba a bribe to impeach him,” Atiku said.
He questioned why the allegation was not made while Na’Abba was alive and able to defend himself.
“If this allegation were true, why did he never make it while Rt Hon Na’Abba was alive? Why wait until the only man who could confirm or refute the claim has departed this world?” he asked.
Atiku also said the allegation unfairly affected the reputation of Na’Abba, who could no longer respond to claims that he accepted a bribe.
“The late Rt Hon Ghali Na’Abba cannot now defend his own integrity or respond to the allegation that he accepted a bribe. It is unfair to his memory and contrary to our cultural values to conscript the dead into contemporary political battles when they no longer have a voice,” the statement added.
The former vice president further argued that if there had been evidence of criminal conduct, the matter should have been addressed while Obasanjo was in office.
“If there was indeed evidence of any criminal conduct as alleged, Nigerians are entitled to ask why no action was taken at the time by a government that wielded the full powers of the Nigerian state,” he said.
Atiku claimed the timing of the allegation suggested a political motive, alleging that it was aimed at weakening his influence ahead of the 2027 election while benefiting Obasanjo’s preferred candidate.
“Coming at a time when the political landscape ahead of the 2027 general election is taking shape, the obvious objective is to besmirch my person and reputation and confer an undeserved political advantage on the former President’s kinsman,” he said.
He added that Nigerians would not be distracted by what he described as old allegations being revived for political reasons.
Atiku linked Obasanjo’s criticism of him to their disagreement over the former president’s controversial third-term bid, saying his opposition was based on his commitment to constitutional democracy.
“My offence was that I stood firmly against the unconstitutional third-term agenda. As a democrat, I chose the path of constitutionalism and the rule of law,” he said.
The former vice president said he would not engage in prolonged disputes over events from more than two decades ago, arguing that the focus should instead be on Nigeria’s current economic and security challenges.
“The task before leaders today is not to rewrite history but to rescue the future,” he said.
Atiku said Nigerians were more concerned about rising food prices, increasing public debt and governance challenges than renewed disputes over past political disagreements.
He acknowledged Obasanjo’s right to support any candidate ahead of the 2027 election but said such support should be expressed openly rather than through allegations that could not be independently verified.
Atiku reaffirmed his commitment to providing what he described as credible alternatives, defending democratic values and promoting accountable leadership, while urging attention towards solutions to Nigeria’s current challenges.
