Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has alleged that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar provided N5 million to support an impeachment move against him during his first term in office.
Obasanjo made the allegation while responding to remarks by former Ogun State Governor Olusegun Osoba on the political events leading up to the 2003 general elections.
According to the former president, the late Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ghali Na’Abba, initiated impeachment proceedings against him after meeting with Atiku.
Obasanjo claimed that Atiku not only encouraged the impeachment effort but also provided N5 million to kick-start the process.
“Na’Abba’s impeachment began at the presidency by the Vice-President, who on a Friday when I was out of the office, invited Na’Abba to his office and convinced him, as he had convinced himself and some others, that I should have only one term as President,” Obasanjo said.
He further alleged that, “On the Friday, Atiku invited Na’Abba; he gave him N5 million to begin his impeachment work. It was all noted, recorded and reported to me by my Chief of Staff, a professional intelligence officer.”
Obasanjo stated that the alleged events were documented and brought to his attention by his then Chief of Staff, whom he described as a professional intelligence officer.
Despite the impeachment threat, the former president said he remained unfazed because he believed there were no constitutional grounds for his removal from office.
Obasanjo did not provide evidence to support the allegations, and Atiku Abubakar has not publicly responded to the claims at the time of filing this report.
