Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has responded to a recent public outburst by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, describing it as another attempt to distort history and insisting that his opposition to Obasanjo’s failed third-term agenda was a principled stand for Nigeria’s Constitution.
In a statement released through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate said he reacted to Obasanjo’s latest interview with sadness rather than anger, describing it as the product of a man whose personal resentment has overtaken his historical fact.
Atiku said Nigerians are already familiar with the roots of Obasanjo’s hostility toward him, tracing it to his refusal to back the former President’s bid for a third term in office.
“I am proud that I stood against the third-term agenda. I am proud that I stood by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I have no apology whatsoever for frustrating every attempt to subvert our democracy for personal ambition,” he said.
He added that he considers any resulting bitterness from Obasanjo a “badge of honour,” maintaining that no individual is above the country.
“No individual, regardless of his status or accomplishments, is bigger than the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The Constitution is supreme, and I chose Nigeria over personal loyalty,” he said.
According to Atiku, the fight against the third-term push was never a personal rivalry but a battle to safeguard Nigeria’s democratic future.
“The Nigerian people won that battle. Democracy won that battle. History has already delivered its verdict,” he said, adding that it was ironic for Obasanjo to now criticise those who defended the Constitution against his own unconstitutional ambitions.
The former Vice President also pointed to recent remarks by World Trade Organisation (WTO) Director-General, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who praised the economic management team he led as “the best Nigeria ever had,” a comment he noted came just a day before Obasanjo’s latest attack.
“Whether or not the timing is merely coincidental is for Nigerians to judge,” Atiku said, adding that while Obasanjo may choose to downplay his contributions, “history has been far kinder. The record speaks for itself, and so do the testimonies of those who worked closely with that administration.”
Atiku went further to recount his role in Obasanjo’s release from prison and subsequent rise to the Presidency, saying he stood by Obasanjo during his incarceration, supported his family, and later helped him resettle after his release.
“When he eventually regained his freedom, he had little to his name. I received him, clothed him, ensured he was properly cared for and extended every support necessary to help him regain his footing,” Atiku said, adding that he also mobilised political structures and alliances and made enormous personal and political sacrifices that culminated in his emergence as President.
Despite the current fallout, Atiku Atiku said he has no regrets about the support he extended to Obasanjo over the years. “Do I regret helping Chief Obasanjo? Absolutely not. When God gives you the opportunity to lift another human being, you do so without expecting repayment. Acts of kindness are matters of conscience, not commercial transactions,” he said.
