Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has slammed former President Olusegun Obasanjo over claims that Atiku bribed late House Speaker Ghali Na’Abba with ₦5 million to impeach him.
Atiku called the accusation a political trick and an unfair attack on a dead man.
Atiku stated via his media aide Phrank Shaibu that Obasanjo raised the old claim to help a preferred kinsman win the upcoming 2027 presidential election.
Atiku pointed out that Obasanjo waited until Ghali Na’Abba died so no one could verify or deny the ₦5 million bribery claim, asking why Obasanjo used his full presidential powers to make no arrests or charges at the time if the bribery plot was truly real.
Obasanjo made the claim in a letter to former Ogun State Governor Olusegun Osoba, alleging Atiku tried to take power by force during his first term but Atiku urged Nigerians to ignore old tales and focus instead on current national problems like hunger, rising food costs, and poor security.
Obasanjo alleged that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar gave the late House of Representatives Speaker Ghali Na’Abba ₦5 million on a Friday to start an impeachment plot against him.
The claim emerged from a historical political feud over power struggles and a single-term agenda ahead of the 2003 elections.
The impeachment context between 1999 and 2003 was cast in the deep power rivalries that grew inside the Presidency during Olusegun Obasanjo and Atiku Abubakar’s first term.
Obasanjo claimed that while he was out of the office, Atiku invited Ghali Umar Na’Abba to his office and claimed Atiku allegedly persuaded Na’Abba that Obasanjo should only serve a single term in office.
Obasanjo asserted that Atiku handed over ₦5 million to jump-start the legislative removal process, with Obasanjo disclosing that Intelligence Reports his Chief of Staff, a security officer, documented and reported the moves to him at the time.
Signalling the actual impeachment move in 2002, the House of Representatives issued a formal motion in August 2002 giving Obasanjo 14 days to resign or face removal over alleged legal and constitutional breaches.
Lawmakers listed 17 complaints against the president, including budget implementation failures and unauthorized spending.
The removal push eventually collapsed after senior national leaders intervened and persuaded Na’Abba and Senate leaders to drop the process for the sake of the country’s democracy.
Atiku Abubakar strongly denied the bribery accusation through his media office, calling it a false and recycled story, pointing out that Obasanjo brought up the ₦5 million claim only after Na’Abba passed away, leaving the late speaker unable to defend himself or share his side of the story.
Atiku claimed the revived allegation was a political move designed to damage his reputation and support another candidate.
