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Choice of Atiku as running mate in 1999 a mistake – Obasanjo

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Former President Olusegun Obasanjo said on Saturday he made a huge mistake in the selection of his running mate in the 1999 general elections.

Obasanjo, who stated this during a leadership mentoring session with selected students in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, however, stressed that God saved him from the mistake.

Although the ex-president did not mention any name, in particular, people present at the gathering knew he was referring to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

Obasanjo was elected the PDP presidential candidate for the election after defeating the late Dr. Alex Ekwueme in the party’s primary held in February 1999.

He later picked Abubakar who had been elected the Adamawa State governor as his running mate in the election.

He defeated Chief Olu Falae of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) in that year’s presidential election and ruled the country for eight years.

Obasanjo and Abubakar fell out before the end of their tenure in 2007.

READ ALSO: 2023: I’m sure of getting PDP ticket, Atiku boasts after meeting with Obasanjo

The ex-president said: “One thing that has happened to me is that God has never disappointed me and that is very important. For instance, one of the mistakes I made was picking a number two when I was going to become president. But because it is a genuine mistake, God saved me from it.

“Some people thought it was a mistake for me to go into the army. It could have been a mistake or when Abacha wanted to arrest me, I was told by the American ambassador that they will arrest me and that America has asked I should be given asylum. I said, no.

“It could have been a mistake because I could have lost my life. So I will say, many things that could have been a mistake but God saved me from them all.”

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