Atiku accuses Obasanjo of secretly backing relative for 2027 election
Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President under Olusegun Obasanjo (1999-2007), accused Obasanjo of covertly backing a relative ahead of the 2027 presidential election and urged him to declare his preferred candidate openly. In a statement released Friday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku dismissed the revived allegation that he paid ₦5 million to the late Speaker Ghali Na'Abba to trigger an impeachment move against Obasanjo in 2003, calling it a stale attempt to damage his reputation. He noted that with Na'Abba deceased, the claim cannot be verified and accused Obasanjo of using the dead to influence public opinion. The feud between Obasanjo and President Bola Tinubu - whom Atiku's remark about a 'kinsman' is widely seen to reference - dates back to disputes over local government allocations in Lagos (2003), Obasanjo's failed third-term bid (2007), and his 2023 endorsement of Labour Party's Peter Obi. The renewed spat unfolds as parties position for the 2027 election, raising questions about elite influence on voter choice.
With elite feuds resurfacing, should voters focus on policy platforms rather than behind-the-scenes endorsements when deciding their 2027 vote?