Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has described his decision to choose Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as his running mate in the 1999 presidential election as the biggest mistake of his life.
Obasanjo made the remark on Friday, July 31, during a fireside chat with veteran musician and activist Charly Boy in Lagos. The event marked the unveiling of Charly Boy’s foundation and his memoir, 999: A Memoir in Tribute to Late Justice Chukwudifu Oputa.
Reflecting on his time in office, Obasanjo said that, with the benefit of hindsight, he would not have selected Atiku as vice president. “I would say the greatest mistake I made was picking Atiku Abubakar as my vice president in 1999,” he said.
The former president added that he remained grateful that Atiku’s actions did not derail his administration or prevent him from achieving his objectives while in office. “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 the long-standing debate surrounding his ancestry, stating that his parents were from Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital. “I still know our family house there,” he said.
The event attracted several prominent personalities, including former Commonwealth Secretary-General Chief Emeka Anyaoku; National Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi; business mogul Leo Stan Ekeh, who donated ₦20 million each on behalf of Obasanjo and Anyaoku; book reviewer Dr Austin Tam-George; veteran broadcaster Bisi Olatilo; and other dignitaries.
Obasanjo and Atiku were elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and served as president and vice president from 1999 to 2007. Their relationship later deteriorated during their second term in office following political disagreements.