Former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday described his decision to choose former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as his running mate in the 1999 presidential election as the greatest mistake of his political career.
Obasanjo made the remark in Lagos during a fireside chat with Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charly Boy, at the unveiling of the Charly Boy Foundation and the launch of his memoir, ‘999: A Memoir in Tribute to Late Justice Chukwudifu Oputa.
Obasanjo and Atiku were elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 1999 and served as president and vice president until 2007.
Reflecting on his years in office, the former president said with the benefit of hindsight, he would not have selected Atiku as his vice-presidential candidate.
“I would say the greatest mistake I made was picking Atiku Abubakar as my vice president in 1999,” Obasanjo said.
He, however, stressed that he harboured no bitterness over the fallout in their relationship, expressing gratitude that the challenges arising from it did not derail his administration.
“There is no bitterness in me over what happened. Despite everything, I was able to achieve what I set out to achieve while in power,” he said.
Obasanjo also addressed the long-standing debate about his ancestry, maintaining that his parents were from Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
“I still know our family house there,” he said.
The event drew several prominent personalities, including former Commonwealth Secretary-General Chief Emeka Anyaoku; the presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi; Chairman of Zinox Group, Leo Stan Ekeh; book reviewer Dr. Austin Tam-George; and veteran broadcaster Bisi Olatilo, among other dignitaries.
During the event, Ekeh announced a donation of N20 million each on behalf of Obasanjo and Anyaoku in support of the newly unveiled Charly Boy Foundation.