Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has reiterated that selecting former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as his running mate ahead of the 1999 presidential election remains one of the most significant misjudgments of his career.
Speaking during an interactive leadership and mentoring session with youth representatives and secondary school students at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) in Abeokuta, Ogun State, the elder statesman reflected on his political journey, noting that divine intervention rescued him from the repercussions of the choice.
Key Operational Highlights & Context
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1999 Running Mate Selection: Obasanjo explained that after emerging as the presidential flagbearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 1999, he chose Atiku—then governor-elect of Adamawa State—to complete the executive ticket.
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Protracted Executive Rift: The presidency of Obasanjo (1999–2007) was marked by severe political friction between the President and his deputy during their second term, leading to public legal battles, party defections, and investigative panels over executive authority and loyalties.
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Reflection on Personal Missteps: Addressing questions on decision-making in public governance, Obasanjo stated that while he recorded many successes in life and leadership, choosing Atiku as Vice President was a notable error that required God’s intervention to manage.
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Core Leadership Message to Youths: The former leader urged young Nigerians to learn from past errors, exercise discernment in choosing associates, and cultivate resilience when navigating complex organizational and political environments.
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ OBASANJO ON 1999 VP SELECTION MATRIX │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ • Speaker : Chief Olusegun Obasanjo (Former President) │
│ │
│ • Key Subject : Selection of Atiku Abubakar as Vice President │
│ in 1999 │
│ │
│ • Venue & Context : Youth Leadership Mentoring Session, Abeokuta │
│ │
│ • Historical Tenure : 1999–2007 (Peoples Democratic Party) │
│ │
│ • Core Conclusion : Described selection as a personal mistake │
│ salvaged by divine intervention. │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
(Sources: Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library & Political Archival Records)
“God Saved Me from the Fallout”
Reflecting on his life’s turning points and public service record, the former president advised the younger generation to remain grounded when making high-stakes decisions:
“One of the mistakes I made was picking my number two when I came on board as civilian president in 1999. But God saved me. I have made many mistakes in life, but God did not allow those mistakes to destroy me. He gave me the grace to overcome them.” — Chief Olusegun Obasanjo
The statement continues a long line of historical assessments by Obasanjo on the political dynamics and administrative friction that characterized Nigeria’s Fourth Republic presidency.
Ayodele Quadri
Correspondent
