Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has rejected allegations by former President Olusegun Obasanjo that he bribed the late former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ghali Umar Na’Abba, during an alleged impeachment plot against the former president.
In a statement issued on Friday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku described the allegation as politically motivated and aimed at tarnishing his reputation ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The allegation stems from claims made by Obasanjo regarding events that occurred during his administration, a period marked by intense political rivalry between the former president and his then deputy, Atiku Abubakar. Their relationship deteriorated sharply over policy disagreements and Atiku’s opposition to the controversial third-term agenda, which sought to amend the Constitution to allow Obasanjo seek another term in office. The amendment eventually failed in the National Assembly in 2006.
Reacting to the latest accusation, Atiku said the timing of Obasanjo’s claim was suspicious, coming at a period when political alignments ahead of the 2027 general election are beginning to take shape.
According to him, the allegation was intended to confer “an undeserved political advantage” on Obasanjo’s preferred candidate for the presidency.
“Coming at a time when the political landscape ahead of the 2027 general election is taking shape, the obvious objective is to besmirch my person and reputation and confer an undeserved political advantage on the former President’s kinsman. Nigerians, however, know better. They are too discerning to be distracted by stale allegations resurrected for political convenience,” Atiku stated.
The former vice president challenged Obasanjo to openly declare the candidate he intends to support in the 2027 election instead of making allegations that can no longer be independently verified because the principal figure involved, the late Ghali Umar Na’Abba, is no longer alive.
“If former President Obasanjo has chosen to take a political position ahead of 2027, he should simply declare it and allow Nigerians to judge it on its merits, rather than attempting to influence public opinion through allegations that can no longer be tested because the principal witness is no longer alive,” he said.
Atiku also questioned why Obasanjo failed to publicly raise the allegation while Na’Abba was alive, arguing that doing so after the former Speaker’s death denied Nigerians the opportunity to hear his version of events.
He further insisted that the bribery allegation lacked judicial or official validation, asking why no investigation or prosecution was initiated at the time if there was credible evidence of wrongdoing.
“If there was indeed evidence of any criminal conduct as alleged, Nigerians are entitled to ask why no action was taken at the time by a government that wielded the full powers of the Nigerian state,” he added.
The ADC presidential candidate also revisited his long-standing political disagreement with Obasanjo, maintaining that their fallout was rooted in his resistance to the alleged third-term agenda rather than personal ambition.
According to Atiku, he defended Nigeria’s constitutional democracy through the courts and secured landmark legal victories that have become part of the country’s democratic history.
He, however, said he would not be distracted by what he described as “recycled political tales,” stressing that his focus remains on offering solutions to Nigeria’s pressing challenges, including economic hardship, insecurity, unemployment and hunger.
“Our focus remains unwavering: offering credible alternatives, defending democracy, demanding accountability and working with all patriotic Nigerians to restore competent, transparent and people-centred leadership to our country. Nigerians deserve solutions to today’s problems, not recycled political tales from yesterday,” Atiku said.
