Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has shared how ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo played a role in choosing his running mate for the 2019 presidential election.
Atiku, who was the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate at the time, said Obasanjo suggested three names: Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Charles Soludo, and Peter Obi.
Atiku made this revelation in an interview published by Daily Trust, where he explained the discussions that led to his final decision.
After winning the PDP presidential ticket in 2019, Atiku said he visited Obasanjo in Abeokuta to inform him of his victory. During their conversation, Obasanjo asked where his running mate would come from.
Atiku responded that it would be either the South-East or the South-West. However, Obasanjo advised against choosing someone from the South-West since he had already governed Nigeria for eight years. Instead, he recommended picking a candidate from the South-East.
Obasanjo first suggested Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, but Atiku believed the party would not accept her since she was not a PDP member. Next, Obasanjo mentioned Charles Soludo, but Atiku had the same concern about his party affiliation. Finally, Obasanjo suggested Peter Obi, who was a PDP member.
After meeting with Obasanjo, Atiku returned to his team and informed key PDP leaders, including Uche Secondus, Nyesom Wike, and Aminu Tambuwal, about the discussion. He asked if they had any objections to choosing Peter Obi as his running mate. At the time, they did not oppose his decision.
However, despite this initial agreement, Atiku later faced criticism for not consulting widely enough within the party before announcing Obi as his running mate.
In the 2023 election, Atiku took a different approach. Instead of making the decision himself, he allowed the party to form a committee to recommend three potential running mates. This way, he could choose based on the party’s consensus.
Atiku’s story highlights the complexities of political decision-making in Nigeria and the behind-the-scenes discussions that shape major elections.
