A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and elder statesman, Bode George, has revealed that former President Olusegun Obasanjo originally planned for his former deputy, Atiku Abubakar, to succeed him as president in 2007.
George, however, alleged that Atiku’s actions and political alignment with former Lagos State governor, now President Bola Tinubu, led to the collapse of that plan.
Speaking in an interview with Daily Independent, George said Atiku’s perceived disloyalty to Obasanjo cost him the opportunity to emerge as the PDP presidential candidate in 2007.
“I warned Atiku against collaboration with Tinubu but he refused to listen. He became the first victim and he is still licking his wounds today. He attached himself to Tinubu like phlegm. Whether Baba Obasanjo likes it or not, he (Atiku) would have emerged as the presidential candidate of the PDP in 2007 but he blew that opportunity,” he said.
Describing the development as self-inflicted, George added, “It was self-inflicted injury which Atiku brought upon himself. He was already the governor-elect of Adamawa State then when Baba announced him as running mate.”
He further questioned the origin of the rift between both leaders, saying, “Who created the crisis between him and Obasanjo? Did anyone force Obasanjo when he announced Atiku as his running mate in 1999? I was there in Jos and I saw what happened. I knew many of the old men, the founding fathers who were struggling to be the vice-president. People like Bamanga Tukur, Adamu Ciroma, Solomon Lar, Abubakar Rimi and all those old people.”
George acknowledged Atiku’s role during the PDP primaries, stating, “Atiku did a great job for Baba during the Jos presidential primary, I won’t deny that fact. He and his team did a great job at the convention to ensure Obasanjo wins.”
He also disclosed that Obasanjo had a clear succession plan. “Baba told me and I can still repeat it that he will not pick any person older than him as running mate. He said he will not even pick anyone his age mate and that anyone he will pick will be much younger than him so that in eight years, he will be prepared to take over. So, his plans was that Atiku will succeed him after eight years. Nobody would have contested with him in 2007.”
Recounting events after the Jos convention, George said, “Nobody thought it was going to be Atiku. After we woke up in the morning, Baba said ‘Bode, proceed to Lagos. I am going to go through Abuja’. We didn’t know he was going to announce his running mate in Abuja. When we finished the convention in Jos, Baba did not announce his running mate.”
He accused Atiku of undermining Obasanjo, adding, “Instead of being patient, loyal and cooperate with his boss, Atiku chose to join forces with Tinubu in Lagos. He was undermining the person who appointed him as vice-president right from day one. That was why he lost out in 2007 and since then, he has been dancing around and jumping from one place to another like a masquerade that has lost his sense of direction. He is reaping what he has sown.”
George also alleged that Tinubu influenced Atiku’s political decisions at the time. “Tinubu was deceiving him then, encouraging him to dump the PDP and pick the AC presidential ticket. Between Atiku and Tinubu, who is in the villa today as president?”
He concluded by advising Atiku to withdraw from active politics. “My advice to him now is to retire home because he is going to be 80 this year. He should forget any presidential ambition and go home to be playing with his grandchildren.”
George warned against political conspiracy and disloyalty, stating, “Hypocrisy and conspiracy is a terrible thing. I’m saying this in order to allow the younger generation coming to know that that is not the way to grow.”
Atiku, who later contested the 2007 presidential election under the Action Congress (AC), lost the election, which was eventually won by the late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua of the PDP.
