Obasanjo and Atiku Abubakar's enduring feud resurfaces ahead of Nigeria's 2027 elections

Nigeria's political landscape is once again witnessing the protracted feud between former President Olusegun Obasanjo and his former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, as the nation gears up for the 2027 general elections. This enduring conflict, spanning over two decades, has become a recurring feature of Nigerian political history.

Obasanjo and Abubakar served together from 1999 to 2007, a period that initially appeared to be a strong political alliance. Abubakar, who had been elected Governor of Adamawa state, was chosen by Obasanjo as his running mate. Their Yoruba-Fulani, Christian-Muslim ticket was seen as a unifying force for a nation recovering from military rule.

During their tenure, Abubakar played a significant role, overseeing the economy and the privatization process as chairman of the administration's economic management council. He was granted considerable influence by Obasanjo, enjoying a period of significant political sway.

However, cracks began to appear, mirroring tensions seen in state-level politics where governors and their deputies often clashed. By the lead-up to the April 2003 general elections, the relationship between Obasanjo and Abubakar had deteriorated. Speculation mounted that Abubakar had grown too powerful and was plotting to challenge Obasanjo for the presidency, even within their own party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).