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Former Cross River State Governor, Donald Duke, has recounted how former military Head of State, Ibrahim Babangida, warned ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo about his then deputy, Atiku Abubakar, during the build-up to the 2003 presidential election.
Duke disclosed the account in Seun Oloketuyi’s book, How to Win Elections in Nigeria, which chronicles political intrigues surrounding the early years of Nigeria’s Fourth Republic.
According to Duke, tensions between Obasanjo and Atiku had intensified as Obasanjo prepared for a second term.
Atiku’s political moves, he said, raised concerns about whether the Vice-President would continue to support Obasanjo’s re-election bid.
Duke recalled that 10 governors, including himself, met with the then Peoples Democratic Party chairman, Solomon Lar, to consider alternatives for the vice-presidential slot. He said the development deeply unsettled Obasanjo.
“I urged him to remain calm and promised to fly to Abuja the next morning,”
Duke recalled after receiving a late-night call from Obasanjo in which the President complained about what he considered betrayal by his deputy.
Duke said Atiku subsequently arranged for Babangida and former Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar, to meet with Obasanjo at the Presidential Villa.
During the meeting, Babangida reminded Obasanjo of agreements reached after his release from prison.
He also argued that persuading northern political leaders to back Obasanjo’s second-term bid would be difficult.
When Obasanjo asked whether their position was final, Babangida reportedly indicated that there was still room for negotiation.
However, Duke said the most revealing exchange occurred after the meeting, when Babangida asked Obasanjo to accompany him back to the former President’s private study to retrieve his keys.
According to Duke, Babangida then dropped his diplomatic tone and warned Obasanjo privately: “I warned you not to trust that your deputy.”
When they returned to the others, Duke said Babangida looked at Atiku before turning to Obasanjo and declared: “This one cannot rule Nigeria.”
Duke said the incident demonstrated the depth of distrust between Obasanjo and Atiku, adding that it reinforced a lesson he learnt from politics: “betrayal is a very crazy thing in politics”.
The relationship between Obasanjo and Atiku has remained strained since their time in office, with both men repeatedly exchanging allegations over corruption, abuse of office and political betrayal.
Their dispute resurfaced recently after Obasanjo accused Atiku of funding an impeachment plot against him, while Atiku accused the former President of fabricating allegations against him for political reasons.
