Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has called his choice of Atiku Abubakar as running mate in 1999 the biggest mistake of his life.
Obasanjo spoke on Friday in Lagos at a fireside chat with musician and activist Charly Boy, held to launch Charly Boy’s foundation and his memoir, “999: A Memoir in Tribute to Late Justice Chukwudifu Oputa.”
“I would say the greatest mistake I made was picking Atiku Abubakar as my vice president in 1999,” he said.
He said he was grateful God kept Atiku’s actions from derailing his administration, adding that he holds no bitterness over how things unfolded.
“There is no bitterness in me over what happened,” Obasanjo said. “Despite everything, I was able to achieve what I set out to achieve while in power.”
Obasanjo also addressed persistent questions about his ethnic roots, insisting his parents came from Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
“I still know our family house there,” he said.
Guests at the event included former Commonwealth Secretary-General Emeka Anyaoku, NDC presidential candidate Peter Obi, businessman Leo Stan Ekeh — who donated N20 million each on behalf of Obasanjo and Anyaoku — book reviewer Austin Tam-George, and broadcaster Bisi Olatilo.
Obasanjo and Atiku ran together on the PDP platform and governed from 1999 to 2007, but their alliance soured over political disagreements during the second term.
READ ALSO:
