Former president Olusegun Obasanjo and former vice-president Atiku Abubakar have exchanged words over claims that Atiku gave the late speaker of the house of representatives, Ghali Umar Na’Abba, N5 million to initiate impeachment proceedings against Obasanjo during his first term in office.
Obasanjo made the claim while responding to comments by former Ogun state governor, Olusegun Osoba, on the political developments that preceded the 2003 general election.
The former president said the impeachment plot was initiated from within the presidency after Atiku held a private meeting with Na’Abba and persuaded him that Obasanjo should serve only one term.
“Na’Abba’s impeachment began at the presidency by the vice-president, who on a Friday when I was out of the office, invited Na’Abba to his office and convinced him, as he had convinced himself and some others but of insignificant number, that I should have only one term as president,” Obasanjo said.
He further claimed that Atiku gave Na’Abba N5 million to begin the impeachment process.
“On the Friday, Atiku invited Na’Abba; he gave him ₦5 million to begin his impeachment work. It was all noted, recorded and reported to me by my chief of staff, a professional intelligence officer,” he said.
Obasanjo said the meeting and financial transaction were documented and reported to him by his chief of staff, whom he described as a professional intelligence officer.
He added that he was not disturbed by the impeachment threat because he believed there were no constitutional grounds for his removal from office.
Responding in a statement issued on Friday, July 24, by Phrank Shaibu, his senior special assistant on public communication, Atiku criticised Obasanjo for making the claim after Na’Abba’s death, saying the late speaker was no longer alive to defend himself.
“As Africans, we understand the solemn duty of speaking truthfully about the dead,” the statement said.
“It is therefore deeply troubling that former president Obasanjo has chosen this moment to claim that I gave the late Rt. Hon. Ghali Umar Na’Abba a bribe to impeach him.”
Atiku questioned why Obasanjo did not make the claims while Na’Abba was alive and argued that the late speaker should have had the opportunity to confirm or deny the claim.
He also questioned why no legal action was taken against him at the time if evidence existed to support the claim.
“If there was indeed evidence of any criminal conduct as said, 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 said.
Atiku further accused Obasanjo of reviving the claims to influence public opinion ahead of the 2027 general election and give political advantage to his preferred candidate.
He said Obasanjo’s hostility towards him dated back to his opposition to the former president’s failed bid to extend his tenure through a third-term constitutional amendment.
“My offence was that I stood firmly against the unconstitutional third-term agenda. As a democrat, I chose the path of constitutionalism and the rule of law,” Atiku said.
He added that he would not be distracted by political disputes dating back more than two decades while Nigerians continued to face economic hardship, insecurity, unemployment and rising public debt.
Atiku said Obasanjo was free to support any candidate ahead of the 2027 election but should do so openly rather than rely on claims that could no longer be tested because Na’Abba was dead.
“Nigerians deserve solutions to today’s problems, not recycled political tales from yesterday,” he said.
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