'YOU ARE STILL BITTER OVER THIRD TERM IMPEACHMENT SAGA'- OBASANJO, ATIKU IN FRESH WAR OF WORDS

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Former President Olusegun Obasanjo claimed that Atiku Abubakar gave the late Ghali Umar Na’Abba, who was once the speaker of the house of representatives, N5 million to start impeachment actions against him when Obasanjo was first in office.

Obasanjo made this accusation while replying to remarks by Olusegun Osoba, the former governor of Ogun, about the political events that happened before the 2003 general election.

The former president claimed the impeachment plot was initiated from within the presidency after Atiku allegedly held a private meeting with Na’Abba.

He said Atiku had convinced the late speaker that he should serve only one term as president and encouraged him to commence impeachment proceedings.

“Na’Abba’s impeachment began at the presidency by the Vice-President, who on a Friday when I was out of the office, invited Na’Abba to his office and convinced him, as he had convinced himself and some others but of insignificant number, that I should have only one term as President,” Obasanjo said.

“On the Friday, Atiku invited Na’Abba; he gave him ₦5 million to begin his impeachment work. It was all noted, recorded and reported to me by my Chief of Staff, a professional intelligence officer.”

Obasanjo stated that the supposed meeting and financial activity were recorded and shared with him by his chief of staff, whom he called a professional intelligence officer.

He also mentioned that he wasn’t worried about the impeachment threat because he thought there wasn’t any legal reason under the constitution for him to be removed from his position.

Responding in a statement issued on Friday by Phrank Shaibu, his senior special assistant on public communication, Atiku faulted Obasanjo for making the allegation after Na’Abba’s death, saying the late speaker was no longer alive to defend himself.

“As Africans, we understand the solemn duty of speaking truthfully about the dead,” the statement reads.

“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.

“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?

“By invoking a deceased man as the principal witness to such a grave allegation, former President Obasanjo has denied Nigerians the opportunity of hearing the other side of the story.”

Atiku said the allegation was unfair to Na’Abba’s memory because the former speaker could no longer defend his integrity or respond to claims that he accepted a bribe.

The former vice-president also questioned why no legal action was taken against him if there was evidence to support the allegation.

“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 said the timing of Obasanjo’s claim suggested an attempt to tarnish his reputation and confer political advantage on the former president’s preferred candidate ahead of the 2027 election.

“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.

“Nigerians, however, know better. They are too discerning to be distracted by stale allegations resurrected for political convenience.”

He noted that Obasanjo’s hostility towards him stemmed from his opposition to the former president’s failed third term bid.

“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 stated.

“Rather than surrender democratic principles on the altar of personal ambition, I defended the Constitution and successfully asserted my rights through the courts in a series of landmark legal victories against a sitting President.

“Those battles are now part of Nigeria’s democratic history. It is evident that the bitterness arising from that defining period has failed to leave former President Obasanjo.”

Atiku said he would not be distracted by political disputes dating back more than two decades while Nigerians grapple with economic hardship, insecurity, unemployment and rising public debt.

“The task before leaders today is not to rewrite history but to rescue the future. Nigerians are more interested in knowing why food prices continue to soar, why public debt continues to rise despite increased revenues, and why scandal after scandal continues to trail the current administration than in revisiting political disagreements from over two decades ago,” he said.

He added that although Obasanjo was free to support any candidate of his choice ahead of the 2027 election, he should do so openly rather than relying on allegations that could no longer be tested because the principal witness was dead.

“If former President Obasanjo has chosen to take a political position ahead of 2027, he should simply declare it and allow Nigerians to judge it on its merits, rather than attempting to influence public opinion through allegations that can no longer be tested because the principal witness is no longer alive,” he said.

“Our focus remains unwavering: offering credible alternatives, defending democracy, demanding accountability and working with all patriotic Nigerians to restore competent, transparent and people-centred leadership to our country.

“Nigerians deserve solutions to today’s problems, not recycled political tales from yesterday.”