Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has described selecting former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as his running mate in the 1999 presidential election as the biggest political mistake of his career.
Drivetvnews gathered that Obasanjo made the remark during a fireside chat with veteran entertainer Charles Oputa (Charly Boy) at the unveiling of the Charly Boy Foundation and the launch of Charly Boy’s memoir, 999: A Memoir in Tribute to Late Justice Chukwudifu Oputa, held in Lagos.
The former president said that, looking back, he would not have chosen Atiku as his vice-presidential candidate. Obasanjo and Atiku were elected on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform in 1999 and served together until 2007, although their relationship later deteriorated.
Despite describing the decision as a mistake, Obasanjo stressed that he holds no personal bitterness toward Atiku. He said the breakdown of their relationship did not stop his administration from delivering on its objectives while in office.
Obasanjo also addressed longstanding speculation about his origin, insisting that he is from Abeokuta in Ogun State and noting that his family home remains there.
