‘Biggest mistake of my life’ — Obasanjo on choosing Atiku as VP in 1999

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has publicly described choosing Atiku Abubakar as his running mate in 1999 as the biggest mistake of his life, while insisting he harbors no bitterness over their later political fallout.

Twenty-seven years later, Obasanjo is still thinking about that ticket.

Speaking Friday in Lagos at a fireside chat with musician and activist Charly Boy, held to unveil Charly Boy’s foundation and his memoir “999: A Memoir in Tribute to Late Justice Chukwudifu Oputa,” the former president didn’t hold back. Asked to reflect on his time in power, he pointed straight to one decision.

“I would say the greatest mistake I made was picking Atiku Abubakar as my vice president in 1999,” Obasanjo said.

Vanguard reports that he credited divine intervention for keeping the fallout from derailing his government, saying he was grateful Atiku’s “actions and overreactions” never distracted him from running the country. Still, he was quick to draw a line between regret and resentment.

“There is no bitterness in me over what happened,” he said. “Despite everything, I was able to achieve what I set out to achieve while in power.”

The former president also used the occasion to put to rest lingering questions about his ancestry, confirming his parents were from Abeokuta, Ogun State’s capital, and that the family house still stands there.

The event drew a heavyweight crowd, including former Commonwealth Secretary-General Chief Emeka Anyaoku, NDC presidential candidate Peter Obi, business mogul Leo Stan Ekeh — who donated N20 million each on behalf of Obasanjo and Anyaoku — book reviewer Dr Austin Tam-George, and veteran broadcaster Bisi Olatilo.

Obasanjo and Atiku ran together on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform and governed from 1999 to 2007. Their partnership soured over political disagreements during their second term, a rift that has shaped Nigerian political discourse for decades since.