For Obasanjo and Atiku nothing short of the above explains their relationship back in days when they held sway at the corridors of power till when Atiku contested for the presidential election in 2019.
Obasanjo and Atiku were president and vice President respectively from 1999 to 2007 . During their days in power the relationship between the two men was anything but cordial. There was no love lost between the duo. But their case was not an isolation. It is typical of what happens in the realm of governance especially at the state level. Most governors and their deputies are often in disagreement and at cross purpose, a situation that has led to some deputies being impeached at the behest of the governors.
However, as Atiku’s presidential ambition gathered momentum in 2019, the rift between him and Obasanjo was settled, and the former president who had previously refrained from supporting Atiku, offered a prayer of success to him. Obasanjo said “Whenever or wherever you might have offended me, as a christian who ask God for forgiveness of my sins and inadequacies on daily basis, I forgive and sincerely advise that you learn from the past…
“And when you become Nigerian president which Insha-Allah you will be, remember what we did together in government-we ran an administration by Nigerians where merit and performance count more than blood relationship, friendship, or kith and kin”.
Why I forgave and endorsed Atiku for president-Obasanjo.
Obasanjo’s reference to his christian faith is instructive. Christians are expected, by the teachings of the holy bible, to forgive, love, and pray for one another.
Although Atiku lost the election in 2019, but as answers to prayers are not constrained by the passage of time, 2023, could just be his moment of victory.
