-Aregbesola’s last-minute mission to Obasanjo’s Hilltop mansion collapsed over the “Atiku Veto.”
BY OBSERVERS TIMES INVESTIGATIVE DESK
The long-standing, unresolved political animosity between former President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and his former deputy, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has emerged as the wrecking ball that dismantled the African Democratic Congress (ADC)-led grand opposition coalition, an extensive investigation by Observers Times has revealed.
Multiple high-ranking sources within the ADC leadership, the Kwankwasiyya Movement, and the broader opposition space have detailed how Obasanjo’s unrelenting opposition to Atiku’s presidential ambitions fractured the coalition just as it was gaining momentum to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general elections.
According to deep-cover sources, the coalition’s crisis began when Obasanjo reportedly issued a strict directive to the ADC hierarchy: deny Atiku Abubakar the party’s presidential ticket, or forfeit his support entirely.
The Ibadan Summit and the ‘Atiku Veto’
“The trouble started long before Peter Obi even considered defecting,” a principal officer of the ADC told our correspondent under the condition of anonymity. “Baba (Obasanjo) called some of our key leaders and explicitly warned that Atiku must not be allowed to fly the ADC banner if we wanted his backing.”
The situation escalated following the Ibadan Opposition Coalition Summit. The summit, meant to showcase a united front, was interpreted by Obasanjo and the Peter Obi camp as an attempt by some party stakeholders to force an Atiku Abubakar and Governor Seyi Makinde joint ticket.
“They interpreted the Ibadan summit as an endorsement of an Atiku-Makinde ticket. That was the trigger. Immediately after that, the Obi camp began preparing their exit from the party, and the ‘Obi or nobody’ faction within the ADC gained aggressive momentum,” the party official added.
Aregbesola’s Desperate Peace Mission
As the coalition threatened to implode, the National Secretary of the ADC and former Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, embarked on a quiet, high-stakes diplomatic mission.
In late April, Aregbesola led a small delegation to Obasanjo’s penthouse residence in Abeokuta to persuade the elder statesman to intervene and stop Obi’s impending defection.
However, another insider privy to the meeting told Observers Times that Obasanjo remained unyielding.
“Baba was blunt. He insisted that the only condition for Peter Obi to remain in the ADC was a guarantee that Atiku would not get the presidential ticket under any circumstances. While an Atiku-Obi alliance would have easily secured victory for the ADC against the APC, Baba’s primary objective was to ensure Atiku’s presidential ambition never materialized,” the source revealed.
Unable to secure guarantees and facing the reality of a fractured house, Peter Obi officially resigned from the ADC on May 3, citing internal crises and “the urgent need to address the country’s worsening situation.”
How the Obi-Kwankwaso Joint Ticket Was Aborted
The shockwaves of the Obasanjo-Atiku feud also tore through the camp of Rabiu Kwankwaso, the leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement and former Governor of Kano State
A chieftain of the Kwankwasiyya Movement confirmed to PUNCH NEWSPAPER that Obasanjo acted as the “compass” driving the proposed Obi-Kwankwaso ticket within the ADC.
“From day one, Obasanjo wanted the ADC ticket for Obi. He was the architect of the Obi-Kwankwaso joint ticket committee. But when the committee reported back that the ADC ticket could not realistically be taken away from Atiku’s camp, the game changed. Obasanjo blew the whistle for defection, and both Obi and Kwankwaso had to pull out,” the chieftain said.
Defending the former President’s actions, the Kwankwasiyya leader added: “You cannot blame Baba entirely. Yes, his resentment for Atiku divided the coalition, but he was also the primary builder of it. He pleaded with several former governors to join the ADC. But on the issue of Atiku, he would not compromise.”
APC Reacts: “Obasanjo’s Hatred is Public Knowledge”
Confirming the political undercurrents, the National Publicity Secretary of the ruling APC, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, stated that Obasanjo’s influence was the sole reason Peter Obi exited the ADC.
“It is public knowledge that Obasanjo has an unresolved animosity toward Atiku. He directed Obi to leave because he could not stop Atiku from dominating the ADC structure. Obasanjo explicitly told opposition leaders to do whatever it takes to stop Atiku. When that failed, he ordered Obi to pull out,” Abdullahi told our reporter.
The Fallout and the Road to 2027
When contacted, the National Publicity Secretary of the ADC admitted that the factionalization has severely wounded the opposition’s strategy.
“It has fractured the coalition building, and it makes the battle for 2027 much harder than it should have been. However, Nigerians are tired of the Tinubu administration. That remains our leverage,” he said.
Meanwhile, the National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, Yunusa Tanko, downplayed the claims of Obasanjo’s direct orders, attributing Obi’s exit to the ADC’s lingering court cases.
“We wanted to avoid the legal crises plaguing the ADC. We are happy Obi is now the candidate of the New Democratic Congress (NDC). Obi has a cordial relationship with both Obasanjo and Atiku; he does not play the politics of bitterness,” Tanko stated.
Efforts to get a reaction from the former President were unsuccessful. Chief Obasanjo’s Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi, declined to comment on the matter and did not respond to subsequent text messages and calls.
As the political dust settles, the collapse of the ADC coalition stands as a stark reminder of how personal vendettas from the past continue to dictate the future of Nigerian politics.
