Obasanjo: Atiku gave Na’Abba N5m to impeach me, wanted power by ‘hook or crook’

By Adejoke Adeleye

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has made explosive allegations against his former deputy, Atiku Abubakar, accusing him of masterminding an impeachment plot against his administration and providing N5 million to initiate the process in a bid to seize power.

Obasanjo made the claims in a strongly worded letter to former Ogun State Governor Olusegun Osoba, in which he responded to criticisms over the political events surrounding the 2003 general elections.

The former president alleged that the impeachment campaign began from within the Presidency and was orchestrated by his then Vice President after becoming convinced that Obasanjo should serve only one term.

According to Obasanjo, Atiku invited then Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ghali Na’Abba, to his office while he was away from the Presidency and allegedly encouraged him to begin impeachment proceedings.

“Na’Abba’s impeachment began at the Presidency by the Vice-President, who on a Friday when I was out of the office invited Na’Abba to his office and convinced him that I should have only one term as President,” Obasanjo wrote.

He further alleged that Atiku financially backed the move.

“He gave him 5 million naira to begin his impeachment work. It was all noted, recorded and reported to me by my Chief of Staff, a professional intelligence officer.”

Obasanjo claimed the alleged plot formed part of a broader ambition by his deputy to replace him before the completion of his constitutional tenure.

“The game continued to be played on with me treating it with contempt as I had committed no impeachable offence except my Vice-President who wanted to take over by hook or by crook.”

The former president said he dismissed the impeachment threats because he believed he had committed no offence warranting removal from office. He added that former President Shehu Shagari later offered to intervene after asking about the impeachment moves.

“President Shagari asked me about impeachment and I told him that for me, there was absolutely nothing in it. He requested for my permission to handle it and, of course, I gave him the go-ahead.”

Obasanjo also alleged that after the impeachment effort failed, Atiku adopted what he described as a “two-track approach” to secure the presidency.

He claimed the first strategy was to align with former Vice President Alex Ekwueme, with the understanding that power would later be transferred to Atiku during Ekwueme’s tenure. The second, he alleged, was to persuade the six Alliance for Democracy (AD) governors in the South-West to avoid political competition in the 2003 elections so they could support Atiku’s presidential ambition in 2007.

“When he failed in the impeachment exercise, he made a two-track approach. You were all convinced of this anti-democratic plan and you all fell for it,” Obasanjo alleged.

The former president further claimed that some political actors were encouraged to bypass him and deal directly with his deputy.

“Have no dealing with Obasanjo as President but deal with his Vice-President and you would get the best. That was clever political move,” he wrote.

The allegations are contained in Obasanjo’s response to Osoba’s article titled “How Obasanjo Deceived Us in 2003,” in which the former president rejected accusations that he deceived Alliance for Democracy leaders during the political realignments preceding the 2003 elections.