You have 48 hours to clarify comment on ‘regrettable’ choice of Atiku as VP, PDP tells Obasanjo

The Peoples Democratic Party has urged ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo to clarify his recent comments on regretting picking Atiku as vice-presidential candidate in 1999.

Recall that Obasanjo, while addressing a leadership mentoring session with selected students in Abeokuta, on Saturday, said picking a running mate when he wanted to become Nigeria’s president in 1999 is one of the mistakes in his life.

The PDP presidential candidate for the 2023 general election, Atiku Abubakar, was vice-president during the Obasanjo administration between 1999 and 2007.

The chairman of the PDP board of trustees, Walid Jibrin, at a briefing on Monday asked Obasanjo to clarify his statement within 48 hours.

He said, “Our attention has been drawn to a statement said to have been made by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, former president of Nigeria, that it was a mistake for him to have appointed Atiku Abubakar as the Vice President in 1999.”
Jibrin said although Obasanjo did not specifically mention Atiku’s name, the report of what he told his audience was such that he was referring to the ex vice-president.

“Obasanjo should come out and clarify the statement — whether he was misquoted or he meant what he said.
“It is when he makes that clarification that the PDP will officially reply him.
“One can assume that what he said may be correct, but we want to give him time up till tomorrow (Tuesday) or next (Wednesday). If he comes out to say he had been misquoted or he meant what he said on Atiku, you will hear the bombardment and I will break the egg.

“I will also tell Nigerians and the whole world who Obasanjo is, how Atiku assisted him to rule Nigeria, and how Atiku refused his third term ambition.

“It is, therefore, very important that we hear from Obasanjo openly,” Jibrin said.