Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has rejected former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s allegation that he financed the failed 2002 impeachment plot against his administration, describing the claim as politically motivated, unfair and an attempt to shape public opinion ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Atiku’s response came a day after Obasanjo alleged in a letter to former Ogun State Governor Olusegun Osoba that the former Vice President gave then Speaker of the House of Representatives, the late Ghali Umar Na’Abba, ₦5 million to commence impeachment proceedings against him while they were both in office.
Responding in a statement issued on Friday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the former President’s allegations amounted to an attempt to rewrite history at a politically sensitive period.
He argued that the timing of the accusation suggested a deliberate effort to damage his reputation and benefit a preferred candidate ahead of the next general election.
“The timing of the allegation suggests an attempt to tarnish the image of Atiku Abubakar in order to confer political advantage on a preferred candidate ahead of the 2027 presidential election,” the statement said.
Atiku faulted Obasanjo for making the allegation after the death of Na’Abba, saying it was unjust to accuse a deceased person who could no longer respond or defend himself.
He said the former Speaker should not be dragged into contemporary political battles and questioned why the allegation was never made while Na’Abba was alive.
“If there was credible evidence to support such a grave allegation, why was no legal action taken at the time? Why wait until the principal actor is no longer alive to respond?” he asked.
The former Vice President also maintained that the allegation had never been established by any court of law or official investigation.
Addressing his well-documented political disagreements with Obasanjo, Atiku said the deterioration of their relationship stemmed from his opposition to the former President’s controversial third-term agenda, insisting that he chose to defend constitutional democracy and the rule of law rather than support what he described as “an unconstitutional project.”
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate said he would not be distracted by disputes over events that occurred more than two decades ago while Nigerians grapple with worsening economic conditions, insecurity, unemployment and rising food prices.
According to him, political leaders should focus on providing practical solutions to the country’s current challenges instead of reopening historical controversies.
While acknowledging Obasanjo’s right to support any candidate in the 2027 election, Atiku said such political preferences should be expressed openly rather than advanced through allegations that can no longer be independently verified.
He reaffirmed his commitment to democratic governance, accountability and offering what he described as credible alternatives to the current administration, adding that Nigerians were more interested in solutions to the nation’s pressing problems than renewed political feuds over the past.
The exchange marks the latest chapter in the long-running political rivalry between the two former leaders, whose relationship deteriorated during the closing years of the Obasanjo administration following disagreements over succession politics and the failed third-term constitutional amendment proposal.