Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said his perception of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar changed after they began working together in government, despite initially choosing him as his running mate because he believed he was the right candidate for the role.
Speaking during an interview aired on Arise Television on Friday, July 31, 2026, Obasanjo said his experience in office gave him a different understanding of Atiku but insisted their disagreements never distracted him from governing the country.
“I don’t know what name you want to give him. I mean that. It’s true. But of course, what I know about him later makes me thank God because God did not allow his actions and reactions to overwhelm me or to divert my own focus from Nigeria or to harm Nigeria,” Obasanjo said.
He added that he harbours no bitterness toward his former deputy, saying both men acted according to their convictions while he remained committed to fulfilling his constitutional responsibilities.
Obasanjo’s remarks offer further insight into the relationship between the two leaders, whose political partnership later developed into one of Nigeria’s most enduring political rivalries.
