2027: Atiku challenges Obasanjo to be transparent, declare his support for Tinubu

Atiku Abubakar, who served as Vice President under Olusegun Obasanjo from 1999 to 2007, has publicly challenged the former president to declare his support for a candidate in the upcoming 2027 presidential election. Abubakar alleges that Obasanjo is covertly backing a relative, widely interpreted as President Bola Tinubu, and demands transparency in the political landscape.

Abubakar, the presidential candidate for the African Democratic Congress (ADC), issued the challenge in response to Obasanjo's recent claim that Abubakar had provided funds to the late House of Representatives Speaker, Ghali Na’Abba, to initiate impeachment proceedings against him during their tenure. Abubakar, through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, dismissed these allegations, dating back to 2003, as a deliberate attempt to damage his political standing ahead of the 2027 elections.

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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.

"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," the statement read. Abubakar argued that Obasanjo should state his political preference clearly rather than relying on unverified claims, especially since the primary witness, Na’Abba, is deceased.

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He should simply declare [his preferred candidate] and allow Nigerians to judge it on its merits, rather than attempting to influence public opinion through allegations that can no longer be tested.

The friction between Obasanjo and Tinubu, once political allies, has deepened over the years due to disagreements on governance and electoral politics. Their past conflicts include disputes over local government allocations and Obasanjo's alleged attempts to secure a third term in 2007. Notably, ahead of the 2023 election, Obasanjo endorsed Labour Party candidate Peter Obi, further straining his relationship with Tinubu. Since Tinubu assumed office, Obasanjo has been critical of the administration's economic policies.

Abubakar also questioned the timing of Obasanjo's bribery allegation, pointing out that the former president waited until after Na’Abba's death to make the claim. He questioned why Obasanjo had not raised the issue while Na’Abba was alive to confirm or refute it.

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If this allegation were true, why did he never make it while Mr Na’Abba was alive? Why wait until the only man who could confirm or refute the claim?