Breaking: Atiku Fires Back as Obasanjo Opens Up On How Ex-VP Allegedly Moved To Impeach Him
- Atiku Abubakar rejected Obasanjo's claim that he bribed the late Ghali Na'Abba to attempt his impeachment
- Atiku's spokesman said the allegations were made only after Na'Abba's death, denying him any chance to respond
- The former Vice President linked the timing of the accusations directly to the build-up to the 2027 presidential election
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Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has publicly rejected allegations made by former President Olusegun Obasanjo that he paid a bribe to the late House of Representatives Speaker, Rt. Hon. Ghali Umar Na'Abba, to push an impeachment agenda against him.
In a statement cited by Legit.ng and released on July 24, by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku described the claims as reckless and said they dishonoured the memory of a man who can no longer speak for himself.
Source: UGC
"If this allegation were true, why did he never make it while Rt. Hon. Na'Abba was alive? Why wait until the only man who could confirm or refute the claim has departed this world?" Atiku said.
He argued that Obasanjo had denied Nigerians a fair hearing by raising such a grave accusation only after Na'Abba's death.
"The late Rt. Hon. Ghali Na'Abba cannot now defend his own integrity or respond to the allegation that he accepted a bribe. It is unfair to his memory and contrary to our cultural values to conscript the dead into contemporary political battles when they no longer have a voice," he said.
Obasanjo accused of playing politics
Atiku questioned why no legal or official action was taken at the time if the evidence for criminal conduct genuinely existed, pointing out that the government then had full powers of the Nigerian state at its disposal.
He said the timing of the claims was not coincidental.
"Coming at a time when the political landscape ahead of the 2027 general election is taking shape, the obvious objective is to besmirch my person and reputation and confer an undeserved political advantage on the former President's kinsman," Atiku said.
On the deeper roots of the feud, Atiku said his opposition to Obasanjo's unconstitutional third-term agenda remained the true source of the former President's bitterness towards him.
He said he defended the constitution and pursued his rights through the courts, securing what he described as landmark legal victories against a sitting president.
Atiku focuses on Nigeria's present challenges
Despite the sharp tone of his response, Atiku said he would not allow the dispute to consume his attention while Nigeria faces food price increases, rising public debt, mass unemployment, and security challenges.
"The task before leaders today is not to rewrite history but to rescue the future," he said.
He also called on Obasanjo to be transparent about any political support he intends to offer ahead of 2027. "If former President Obasanjo has chosen to take a political position ahead of 2027, he should simply declare it and allow Nigerians to judge it on its merits," Atiku said.
Atiku, who resigned from the African Democratic Congress on May 2, 2026, and was ratified as the NDC presidential candidate on May 29, 2026, said his campaign would remain focused on offering credible alternatives and demanding accountability from those in power.
Analyst speaks
Reacting to this development, Sadiq Tade, while speaking with Legit.ng, said:
"I actually like that Atiku is giving it back to Obasanjo this time. The whole fight has been one-sided for too long. Obasanjo will never support Atiku for President. He'd rather support Tinubu using the image of Obi. Game is game. Atiku should see all of them as opposition."
Tinubu takes swipe at Atiku
Previously, Legit.ng reported that president Bola Tinubu on Thursday, July 23, took a direct dig at former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), during a meeting with Northeast stakeholders who visited to express gratitude for his decision to retain Vice President Kashim Shettima on his 2027 ticket.
Speaking at the gathering, which included pensioners among the attendees, Tinubu drew a sharp contrast between his administration's welfare commitments and what he described as the financial mess left behind by political opponents.
Source: Legit.ng
