Why I Opposed Obasanjo’s Third Term — Atiku

Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has said his decision to oppose former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s third-term bid was based on his commitment to Nigeria’s Constitution and democracy.

Atiku made the position known in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, in response to Obasanjo’s recent comments about him.

He said he had no regrets about resisting the third-term agenda, describing his action as a defence of the Constitution against attempts to extend presidential tenure beyond the constitutionally permitted limit.

“I am proud that I stood against the third-term agenda. I am proud that I stood by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I have no apology whatsoever for frustrating every attempt to subvert our democracy for personal ambition,” Atiku said.

He argued that no individual, regardless of status or achievements, was above the country and its Constitution.

“If Chief Obasanjo’s bitterness stems from my refusal to support an unconstitutional third term, then I wear that resentment as a badge of honour. No individual, regardless of his status or accomplishments, is bigger than the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The Constitution is supreme, and I chose Nigeria over personal loyalty,” he said.

Atiku said the controversy surrounding the third-term bid was not a personal disagreement but a struggle to preserve Nigeria’s democratic system for future generations.

“The Nigerian people won that battle. Democracy won that battle. History has already delivered its verdict,” he said.

The former Vice President also rejected any attempt to diminish his contribution to the Obasanjo administration, particularly its economic policies.

He referred to comments by the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who he said recently praised the economic management team he led as “the best Nigeria has ever had.”

“Chief Obasanjo may choose not to appreciate my role in building one of Nigeria’s most prosperous economic eras, but history has been far kinder. The record speaks for itself, and so do the testimonies of those who worked closely with that administration,” Atiku said.

He also recalled his support for Obasanjo during the latter’s imprisonment, claiming that he assisted his family and worked alongside other Nigerians to secure his release.

According to Atiku, he continued to support Obasanjo after his release and helped mobilise political structures and alliances that contributed to his emergence as president in 1999.

He said he did not regret the assistance he rendered to the former president.

“Do I regret helping Chief Obasanjo? Absolutely not. When God gives you the opportunity to lift another human being, you do so without expecting repayment. Acts of kindness are matters of conscience, not commercial transactions,” he said.

Atiku accused Obasanjo of selectively recalling events and attempting to rewrite aspects of their shared political history.

“Chief Obasanjo is entitled to his opinions. He is entitled to his personal grievances. What he is not entitled to are his own facts,” he said.

The ADC presidential candidate also criticised the former president for focusing on past political disagreements while Nigeria faces economic hardship, unemployment, insecurity and other challenges.

He said the 2027 election should instead centre on rebuilding the economy, improving security and restoring hope to Nigerians.

“The 2027 election should be about rebuilding Nigeria, restoring security, reviving the economy and giving hope to the next generation—not reopening old political wounds,” Atiku said.

He said he had deliberately avoided engaging Obasanjo publicly over the years out of respect for the former president’s office and their past relationship.

Atiku, however, said his restraint should not be mistaken for weakness, adding that he would respond when necessary to what he described as distortions of history.

“There comes a point when silence in the face of repeated distortions of history ceases to be a virtue. While I have no desire to engage in a public quarrel with a man I once stood beside in his most difficult moments, neither will I permit falsehoods, half-truths and calculated attempts to rewrite history to go unanswered,” he said.

Atiku said his focus remained on Nigeria’s future, adding that he had chosen “the path of service over resentment, vision over vendetta and national renewal over personal recrimination.”

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