Obasanjo made the allegation in a statement responding to former Ogun State Governor, Chief Olusegun Osoba, over his account of the political events surrounding the 2003 general elections.
In the statement, titled “Reply to Your Inaccurate Posture: How Obasanjo Deceived Us in 2003,” the former President rejected Osoba’s claims that he deceived leaders of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and Afenifere during political negotiations ahead of the 2003 elections.
Obasanjo also revisited the impeachment threat that confronted his administration during his first term, alleging that the move was initiated by Atiku, who was then Vice-President.
According to him, Atiku invited Na’Abba to his office on a Friday while Obasanjo was away and allegedly persuaded the Speaker that the President should serve only one term.
Obasanjo claimed that Atiku subsequently gave Na’Abba ₦5 million to commence the impeachment process.
“On the Friday, he invited Na’Abba; he gave him N5 million to begin his impeachment work. It was all noted, recorded and reported to me by my Chief of Staff, a professional intelligence officer,” Obasanjo alleged.
The former President said he was not intimidated by the impeachment threat because, in his view, there was no constitutional basis for removing him from office.
Obasanjo further alleged that the impeachment effort was part of a broader political strategy by Atiku to position himself to succeed him as President.
He claimed that the move eventually failed and that subsequent political arrangements were pursued ahead of the 2003 general elections.
Obasanjo also maintained that he never deceived the leadership of the AD or Afenifere, arguing that Osoba’s account of the political developments of the period was inaccurate and incomplete.
The former President’s allegations have, however, been rejected by Atiku Abubakar. The former Vice-President, through his spokesperson, dismissed the claim that he bribed Na’Abba to pursue Obasanjo’s impeachment, describing the allegation as reckless and questioning why it was being raised after the late Speaker could no longer respond to it.
Atiku’s camp also suggested that the timing of the allegation was politically motivated, particularly in the context of preparations for the 2027 general elections.
The exchange has reignited debate over the political tensions between Obasanjo and Atiku, who served together as President and Vice-President between 1999 and 2007 before their relationship deteriorated.
The latest allegations have also brought renewed attention to the political struggles within the administration in the early years of Nigeria’s Fourth Republic and the events surrounding the 2003 presidential election.
While Obasanjo has maintained that Atiku was behind the impeachment effort, Atiku has denied the allegation. The claims therefore remain part of the competing accounts of the political events of that period.
