Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has reopened one of the most contentious chapters of Nigeria’s Fourth Republic, alleging that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar masterminded and financed the failed 2002 impeachment plot against his administration in a bid to take over power.
The explosive allegation is contained in a letter written by Obasanjo to former Ogun State Governor, Chief Olusegun Osoba, in which the former President responded to comments credited to Osoba concerning his relationship with Yoruba political leaders.
In the letter, Obasanjo claimed that the impeachment campaign was conceived within the Presidency and spearheaded by Atiku, whom he accused of nursing presidential ambitions from the very beginning of their administration.
According to Obasanjo, the then Vice President used his office to recruit the support of the Speaker of the House of Representatives at the time, Ghali Umar Na’Abba, while he (Obasanjo) was away from the Presidential Villa.
“Na’Abba’s impeachment plot began at the Presidency with the Vice President, who, on a Friday when I was out of the office, invited Na’Abba to his office and convinced him, as he had convinced himself and some others,” Obasanjo wrote.
He further alleged that Atiku provided the then Speaker with ₦5 million to commence the impeachment process.
“Atiku wanted that I should have only one term as President. This was the act of a man I brought from governor to Vice President.
“From the first day as Vice President, Atiku raised campaigners for his presidency. On that Friday, he invited Na’Abba and gave him ₦5 million to begin his impeachment work,” the former President alleged.
Obasanjo said the alleged plot was uncovered through intelligence reports submitted by his Chief of Staff, whom he described as a professional intelligence officer.
Despite becoming aware of the alleged moves, he said he deliberately chose not to react because he believed he had committed no offence that could constitutionally justify impeachment.
“I treated it with contempt because I had committed no impeachable offence, except that my Vice President wanted to take over by hook or by crook,” he stated.
Obasanjo also revealed that former President Shehu Shagari played a pivotal role in preventing the political crisis from escalating.
According to him, Shagari approached him after learning of the impeachment move and sought permission to intervene with political leaders.
“It was President Shagari, on his own volition, who asked me about the impeachment. I told him there was absolutely nothing in it. He requested my permission to handle it and I gave him the go-ahead,” Obasanjo said.
The allegations revisit the dramatic events of 2002 when the House of Representatives, under Speaker Na’Abba, initiated impeachment proceedings against Obasanjo over allegations of constitutional breaches.
On August 13, 2002, the House handed the President a 14-day ultimatum to address lawmakers’ concerns or face impeachment.
The lower chamber subsequently listed 17 allegations against Obasanjo, including failure to faithfully implement the Appropriation Act, alleged constitutional violations and authorising military deployments without legislative approval.
The impeachment effort ultimately collapsed following intense consultations by senior political figures, with former President Shagari and other national leaders prevailing on both the executive and the leadership of the National Assembly to abandon the move in the interest of protecting Nigeria’s young democracy.
Obasanjo’s latest claims come amid renewed political exchanges between the former President and Atiku, whose long and often turbulent political relationship has shaped Nigeria’s democratic politics for more than two decades.
As of the time of filing this report, Atiku had not publicly responded to the allegations contained in Obasanjo’s letter.