APC Backs Obasanjo, Urges Nigerians to Reject Atiku in 2027
APC urges Nigerians to consider Obasanjo’s criticism of Atiku ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ajibola Basiru, has urged Nigerians not to support former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in the 2027 presidential election, citing former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s recent criticisms of his former deputy.
Basiru, who spoke in an interview, said Obasanjo’s assessment of Atiku should be taken seriously because it came from someone who worked closely with him during their eight years in office.
His comments followed fresh exchanges between Obasanjo and Atiku after the former president described his decision to choose Atiku as his running mate in the 1999 presidential election as the “biggest mistake” of his presidency.
Speaking at a fireside conversation in Lagos with veteran entertainer and activist Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charly Boy, Obasanjo said that if he had known Atiku as well then as he came to know him later, he would not have selected him as vice president.
The remarks drew a sharp response from Atiku, who accused the former president of acting out of bitterness over the failure of his controversial third-term agenda and attempting to rewrite Nigeria’s political history.
The former vice president also maintained that Obasanjo’s comments would not stop his bid for the presidency in 2027, urging the former president to act with statesmanship.
Reacting to the exchange, Basiru said Obasanjo’s remarks reflected firsthand knowledge of Atiku’s character and political disposition.
According to the APC scribe, the former president’s comments should serve as a warning to Nigerians ahead of the next general election.
He also described Atiku as a serial defector, arguing that his movement across political parties reflected a lack of political consistency.
“Obasanjo has said so many things about Atiku, and he is in a position to know who the former vice president is,” Basiru said.
He added that although Obasanjo was not aligned with the APC, his remarks about Atiku deserved attention because they were based on their years of working together.
Obasanjo and Atiku served as president and vice president between 1999 and 2007, but their relationship deteriorated during their second term, culminating in Atiku’s exit from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the Action Congress ahead of the 2007 general election. Their political differences have continued in the years since they left office.
