Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has described his decision to select former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as his running mate in the 1999 presidential election as the biggest political miscalculation of his career, while emphasizing that he holds no resentment over their eventual fallout.
Obasanjo made the remarks on Friday in Lagos during a fireside conversation with entertainer and activist Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charly Boy, at the unveiling of the Charly Boy Foundation and the presentation of Charly Boy’s memoir, 999: A Memoir in Tribute to Late Justice Chukwudifu Oputa.
The former president and Atiku Abubakar were elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 1999 and jointly led Nigeria until the end of their administration in 2007.
Looking back on his years in office, Obasanjo said that if given another opportunity, he would not make the same decision regarding his running mate.
According to him, selecting Atiku as vice president remains the greatest mistake he made during his political career. Despite the challenges that later emerged in their relationship, Obasanjo said he bears no ill feelings and expressed satisfaction that the disagreements did not prevent his administration from achieving its goals.
He noted that he remained focused on delivering the objectives of his government and was grateful that the internal conflicts did not derail his leadership.
The former president also addressed recurring questions about his heritage, reiterating that his roots are firmly in Abeokuta, Ogun State. He said his family home remains there, reaffirming his connection to the town.
The event attracted several distinguished guests, including former Commonwealth Secretary-General Chief Emeka Anyaoku, Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, Zinox Group Chairman Leo Stan Ekeh, media scholar Dr. Austin Tam-George, veteran broadcaster Bisi Olatilo, and other notable personalities.
As part of activities at the launch, Leo Stan Ekeh announced a donation of ₦20 million each on behalf of Obasanjo and Anyaoku to support the newly established Charly Boy Foundation.
