The long-running political rivalry between former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has once again dominated national conversations, with former Kaduna Central Senator Shehu Sani suggesting that the feud may never truly end.
Reacting to the latest exchange between the two political heavyweights, Sani said their decades-old disagreement has lasted so long that an entire generation has grown up watching it unfold.
In a post shared on his X account, the former lawmaker wrote:
“The OBJ/Atiku feud began when Gen Zs were in nursery and primary school. It’s continuing even when that generation has graduated from universities, married and had children.”
He added that the rivalry may continue until one of the two men passes away.
“It’s likely going to continue until one of them is gone, and the other will pay a glowing tribute. Since Atiku threw a devastating bomb at OBJ, he has been receiving OBJ’s hypersonic missiles for two decades,” Sani stated.
Fresh War of Words
The latest exchange was triggered after Obasanjo reportedly described choosing Atiku as his running mate in the 1999 presidential election as the biggest mistake of his presidency.
Atiku’s camp fired back, insisting the former vice president had no regrets for opposing Obasanjo’s controversial third-term agenda, describing his stand as a defence of Nigeria’s democracy and Constitution.
The renewed clash has once again reopened one of Nigeria’s longest-running political rivalries.
How the Feud Began
Obasanjo and Atiku were elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 1999, ushering Nigeria into the Fourth Republic.
During their first term, Atiku played a key role in the administration, leading the National Council on Privatisation and spearheading major economic reforms.
However, their relationship began to deteriorate after their re-election in 2003 amid disagreements over political appointments, succession plans and control of the ruling party.
The crisis reached its peak in 2006 when Atiku opposed the proposed constitutional amendment that would have allowed Obasanjo to seek a controversial third term in office.
Following the collapse of the third-term bid, both leaders openly accused each other of betrayal, corruption and abuse of power, setting the stage for a political feud that has continued for more than two decades.
Rivalry That Refuses to Fade
Although there were brief signs of reconciliation ahead of the 2019 presidential election, when Obasanjo publicly endorsed Atiku’s presidential ambition, the relationship soon deteriorated again.
In recent weeks, both camps have exchanged fresh accusations over events that occurred during their years in office, reigniting public interest in one of Nigeria’s most enduring political battles.
With Shehu Sani now weighing in, many Nigerians are once again asking whether the former allies will ever reconcile—or whether their rivalry will remain a permanent feature of the country’s political history.
