Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has described his decision to select former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as his running mate in the 1999 presidential election as the greatest mistake of his political career.
Obasanjo made the remark on Friday in Lagos during a fireside chat with veteran entertainer and activist Charly Boy at the unveiling of the Charly Boy Foundation and the launch of his memoir, 999: A Memoir in Tribute to Late Justice Chukwudifu Oputa.
Reflecting on his years in office, the former president said that, looking back, he would not have chosen Atiku as his vice president.
“I would say the greatest mistake I made was picking Atiku Abubakar as my vice president in 1999,” Obasanjo stated.
Despite the challenges that later emerged in their relationship, Obasanjo said he bears no resentment toward his former deputy. He added that he remains grateful that the disagreements between them did not derail his administration or prevent him from carrying out his agenda.
“There is no bitterness in me over what happened,” he said, noting that he was able to accomplish the goals he set for his government while in office.
The former president also addressed lingering questions about his ancestry, reaffirming 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, former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, businessman Leo Stan Ekeh, book reviewer Dr. Austin Tam-George, and veteran broadcaster Bisi Olatilo.
During the occasion, Leo Stan Ekeh donated ₦20 million each on behalf of Obasanjo and Chief Emeka Anyaoku in support of the newly unveiled foundation.
Obasanjo and Atiku served as president and vice president under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from 1999 to 2007. Their relationship later deteriorated during their second term in office following political disagreements that eventually led to a public fallout.
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