Picking Atiku as VP my biggest mistake, says Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has declared that selecting Atiku Abubakar as his vice presidential running mate in the 1999 election was the "greatest mistake" he made during his time in office. Obasanjo made this candid admission during a recent fireside chat with entertainer Charles Oputa, also known as Charly Boy, in Lagos. The event marked the unveiling of Charly Boy’s foundation and memoir. Responding to a question about his biggest presidential error, Obasanjo acknowledged that active leaders inevitably make mistakes. However, he singled out his choice of vice president, stating, "If I had known him as I came to know him later, I would not have picked him." When pressed for clarification, Obasanjo confirmed he was referring to his vice president, adding that he was grateful God protected Nigeria from Abubakar's actions and reactions. Obasanjo also discussed the Nigerian Civil War, rejecting the notion that it constituted genocide. He asserted that the military campaign was essential for preserving the country's unity and detailed his efforts to minimize civilian casualties, citing the recapture of Owerri as an example where he avoided bombing the city directly. Obasanjo and Abubakar served together from 1999 to 2007 under the Peoples Democratic Party but later experienced a deterioration in their relationship due to political disagreements.

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Mistake when I was in government. 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.