Former President Olusegun Obasanjo and his erstwhile deputy, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, clashed, again, yesterday, after the former, said God will not forgive him if he supports Atiku’s presidential bid ahead of 2019 elections.
Atiku, not one to shy away from a battle, immediately responded that his former boss should tidy up his relationship with God, instead of hanging his judgment with God on things concerning him (Atiku).
The erstwhile VP is currently a presidential aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
The development follows what some had considered as a dilemma for Dr. Obasanjo who supported Muhammadu Buhari’s 2015 campaign but is now a major face against a second term for the incumbent. Atiku Abubakar who served as vice president in the two terms of the Obasanjo civilian presidency between 1999 and 2007 is one of those aspiring to take over Buhari’s office.
Atiku and Obasanjo have, however, had issues arising from perceptions of what Atiku allegedly did to undermine Obasanjo as president during the first term of their presidency. Obasanjo has, however, put his opposition to Atiku on insinuations of corruption which, however, have never been established by either Obasanjo or the court of law.
Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, however, at the weekend, claimed ego on the part of the former president, as he alleged that Obasanjo knelt to beg Atiku to help him win the second term ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in 2003.
Obasanjo, when asked, in an interview with Premium Times, whether he will support Atiku’s 2019 presidential bid, had said:
“How can I be on the same side with Atiku? To do what?
“If I support Atiku for anything, God will not forgive me. If I do not know, yes. But once I know, Atiku can never enjoy my support,” he added.
“I do not have personal grudges with anyone,” Obasanjo said. “If you do not do well for Nigeria, you do not do well for all of us.
“It is not a question of working with or not working with an individual, If you are working for the good of Nigeria, I am working with you. If you are not working for the good of Nigeria, it does not matter who you are, I am not working with you.
“Most of you do not understand the way I operate. And I thought your own paper will understand better.
“I know Atiku very well. And I have mentioned my position with Atiku. My position has not changed.”
On a personal note, the former President added, “If my children are getting married, he has sent representatives. If his children are getting married, I have sent representatives. That is social. That is not political.
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