‘Choosing Atiku as My Running Mate Was My Biggest Mistake‘- Obasanjo
By Aliyu Oyewole
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has described his decision to select former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as his running mate in the 1999 presidential election as the biggest mistake he made while serving in office.
Obasanjo made the remark on Friday during a fireside chat with veteran entertainer and activist Charles Oputa at the unveiling of Charly Boy’s foundation and his memoir, 999: A Memoir in Tribute to Late Justice Chukwudifu Oputa, in Lagos.
Reflecting on his years in government, the former president said no leader could claim to have served without making mistakes. However, he singled out his choice of vice president as a decision he would never make again.
“The man I picked as my running mate, my number two—if I had known him as I came to know him later, I would not have picked him,” Obasanjo said.
When asked by Charly Boy if he was referring to Atiku, Obasanjo responded that he was indeed speaking about his former vice president.
He said that with the benefit of hindsight, he would not have selected Atiku as his deputy, adding that subsequent events changed his perception of the former vice president.
“Thank God, because God did not allow his actions and reactions to overwhelm me, or to divert my focus from Nigeria, or to harm Nigeria,” Obasanjo said.
The former president, however, stressed that he harboured no bitterness toward Atiku, saying each of them acted according to their convictions while he remained focused on serving the country.
“There is no bitterness, because he did what he believed he should do, and God did what He had to do, which enabled me to achieve what I was able to achieve,” he added.
Obasanjo and Atiku jointly won the 1999 presidential election under the People’s Democratic Party, ushering in Nigeria’s return to democratic rule after years of military governance. Their relationship later deteriorated during their second term in office, culminating in a prolonged political rivalry that has persisted for nearly two decades.
Speaking further at the event, Obasanjo also revisited the Nigerian Civil War, rejecting claims that the conflict amounted to genocide. He maintained that the military campaign was aimed at preserving Nigeria’s unity and said he deliberately took measures to minimise civilian casualties during operations, including the recapture of Owerri.
He explained that he avoided bombing the city directly, opting instead to strike surrounding areas to signal the military’s advance while reducing the risk to innocent civilians.
