Former presidential candidate and opposition coalition member, Dele Momodu, has revealed that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar had a power transition agreement with former President Olusegun Obasanjo during their administration.
According to Momodu, Atiku was originally positioned to take over leadership from Obasanjo after his first term in office, with significant backing from a majority of governors at the time.
"The deal was that he would take over after their first term in office but it fell through despite the humongous support from the majority of the governors," Momodu stated in an article posted on his Facebook page.
Momodu further explained that despite the collapse of this arrangement, Atiku maintained respect for Obasanjo and helped reduce tensions during their second term, even as the former Vice President was "virtually stripped of his Constitutional obligations and rights."
"He accepted his fate with uncommon equanimity," Momodu noted, praising Atiku's composure during this challenging period.
The revelation sheds new light on the political dynamics between Obasanjo and Atiku, who served together from 1999 to 2007. Since leaving office, Atiku has made several unsuccessful attempts to become president, most recently finishing second to President Bola Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election.
Momodu also highlighted Atiku's business acumen, stating: "Since then he has engaged in productive and well managed businesses unlike most of his contemporaries who cannot survive outside power and politics. He is a man with Midas touch and has his fingers in many fruitful pies."
The former presidential candidate concluded by suggesting that "Nigeria would have been a much better place if the majority of our leaders had been gainfully employed like him."
This revelation comes amid ongoing political realignments as various political figures position themselves ahead of future electoral contests.
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