Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has described his decision to choose former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as his running mate in the 1999 presidential election as the biggest mistake of his political career.
Obasanjo made the remark on Friday in Lagos during a fireside chat with veteran entertainer and activist Charles Oputa, popularly known as 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.
The former president and Atiku were elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 1999 and served as President and Vice President respectively until 2007 before their relationship deteriorated over political differences.
Reflecting on his years in office, Obasanjo said that, with the benefit of hindsight, he would not have selected Atiku as his deputy.
“I would say the greatest mistake I made was picking Atiku Abubakar as my vice president in 1999,” Obasanjo said.
Despite their well-publicised fallout, the former president said he harbours no bitterness towards his former deputy, expressing gratitude that the challenges arising from their relationship did not prevent his administration from achieving its objectives.
“There is no bitterness in me over what happened. Despite everything, I was able to achieve what I set out to achieve while in power,” he stated.
Obasanjo also addressed longstanding questions about his ancestry, insisting that his roots remain firmly in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
“My parents were from Abeokuta. I still know our family house there,” he said.
The event attracted several prominent personalities, including former Commonwealth Secretary-General Chief Emeka Anyaoku, Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, Chairman of Zinox Group, Leo Stan Ekeh, veteran broadcaster Bisi Olatilo, book reviewer Dr. Austin Tam-George and other distinguished guests.
In a show of support for the newly established Charly Boy Foundation, Leo Stan Ekeh announced a donation of ₦20 million each on behalf of former President Obasanjo and Chief Emeka Anyaoku. The contribution is expected to support the foundation’s programmes and initiatives.
