Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has described his decision to nominate former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as his running mate in the 1999 presidential election as the biggest political mistake of his career.
Obasanjo made the remark on Saturday in Lagos during a fireside conversation with veteran entertainer Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charly Boy, at the unveiling of the Charly Boy Foundation and the presentation 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 in 1999 and served together as President and Vice President until the end of their administration in 2007.
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,” the former president stated.
Despite the eventual collapse of their political relationship, Obasanjo said he holds no resentment toward his former deputy.
He maintained that the disagreements that emerged during their time in government did not prevent his administration from delivering on its objectives.
Obasanjo also dismissed recurring claims about his ancestry, insisting that his roots are firmly in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
According to him, his family’s ancestral home remains in the town, underscoring his connection to the state.