2027: Grave not a witness box, Atiku accuses Obasanjo of using late Na’Abba for politics

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has strongly refuted allegations made by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, accusing Obasanjo of exploiting the memory of the late former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ghali Na’Abba, for political purposes. Obasanjo had claimed that Abubakar bribed Na’Abba to orchestrate moves to impeach him during their time in office.

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The grave is not a witness box.

In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Abubakar described Obasanjo's claims as a "desperate attempt to rewrite history" and an effort to influence the political landscape ahead of the 2027 presidential election. He argued that it is fundamentally unfair to make allegations involving Na’Abba after his death, as he can no longer respond or defend his reputation. "As Africans, we understand the solemn duty of speaking truthfully about the dead. 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," Abubakar stated.

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As Africans, we understand the solemn duty of speaking truthfully about the dead. 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.

Abubakar questioned the timing of Obasanjo's allegations, asking why they were not raised when Na’Abba was alive. "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?" he asked. He further contended that by using a deceased individual as the primary witness, Obasanjo denied Nigerians the opportunity to hear the other side of the story, infringing upon Na’Abba's integrity and cultural values.

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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?

The former vice president also questioned the lack of legal action if the allegations were indeed supported by evidence. "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. Abubakar suggested that Obasanjo's remarks are politically motivated, timed to coincide with the positioning of political parties and aspirants for the 2027 general election, with the aim of damaging his reputation and unfairly benefiting a kinsman.

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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.