Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has defended his decision to oppose former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s alleged third-term agenda, saying he remains proud of standing by Nigeria’s Constitution.
Atiku’s reaction follows Obasanjo’s recent remarks in which the former president described choosing him as his running mate in 1999 as the “biggest mistake” of his political career.
In a statement issued on Saturday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku dismissed Obasanjo’s criticism, insisting that history cannot be rewritten.
“I am proud that I stood against the third-term agenda. I am proud that I stood by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I have no apology whatsoever for frustrating every attempt to subvert our democracy for personal ambition,” Atiku said.
The former vice president added that if Obasanjo’s criticism was linked to his refusal to support a tenure extension, he would wear that criticism “as a badge of honour.”
Atiku argued that opposing the third-term agenda was never about personal rivalry but about defending Nigeria’s democracy and constitutional order.
He also referenced recent comments by World Trade Organisation (WTO) Director-General, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who praised the economic management team that served during the Obasanjo administration, saying the recognition highlighted his contributions while in office.
Atiku further recalled supporting Obasanjo during his imprisonment, claiming he stood by him, assisted his family and helped rebuild his political career after his release before he eventually became president.
Despite the latest exchange, Atiku said Nigeria’s focus should now be on addressing pressing national issues such as insecurity, unemployment and economic hardship rather than revisiting old political disputes.
He also stressed that while he had remained silent for years out of respect for Obasanjo and the office he once held, he would no longer ignore what he described as repeated attempts to distort history.
