Former Cross River State Governor Donald Duke has recounted an alleged warning by former military Head of State Ibrahim Babangida to ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo about his then deputy, Atiku Abubakar.
Duke, who served as governor of Cross River State from 1999 to 2007, said Babangida had expressed reservations about Atiku’s capacity to lead Nigeria during a conversation with Obasanjo.
According to Duke, Babangida was said to have cautioned Obasanjo about Atiku, reportedly telling him: “This one cannot rule Nigeria.”
Duke’s account has revived discussions about the political relationship between Obasanjo and Atiku, who served together as president and vice-president from 1999 to 2007.
The relationship between the two men became increasingly strained during their time in office, particularly towards the end of their administration, when disagreements over political succession and governance became more pronounced.
Atiku, who had previously served as vice-president under Obasanjo, later emerged as a major opposition figure and has contested the Nigerian presidency several times.
Duke’s latest recollection adds another perspective to the long-running political history surrounding the Obasanjo-Atiku administration and the succession debates that have shaped Nigeria’s Fourth Republic.
The former Cross River governor remains a prominent voice in Nigeria’s political discourse, having governed the state for eight years before leaving office in 2007.
