Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar accused former President Olusegun Obasanjo of sustaining a 20-year campaign of lies and political manipulation against him.
The public rift between two of Nigeria's most influential political figures signals a deepening divide that could influence future political alliances and electoral strategies.
Abubakar made the accusations on Sunday, Aug. 9, and said that Obasanjo has been waging a campaign of "lies, political manipulation and orchestrated deceit" against him [1]. He said that for more than two decades, Obasanjo has been orchestrating falsehoods to undermine his political career [2].
The accusations follow a series of recent allegations leveled against Abubakar. He said the move to speak out was necessary to challenge those claims and highlight a long-standing pattern of attacks [1], [3].
Paul Ibe, a media adviser to Abubakar, said that Obasanjo’s 20-year campaign of lies against Atiku is finally crumbling [3]. The timeline of the alleged campaign varies slightly across reports, with some sources citing a 20-year duration [1] and others stating it has lasted more than two decades [2].
This public confrontation marks a significant escalation in the tension between the former allies. Abubakar has long been a central figure in Nigerian politics, and the accusations suggest a systemic effort to damage his reputation over the course of 20 years [1].
Obasanjo has not issued a formal response to these specific claims as of Monday.
“"Obasanjo has been waging a campaign of ‘lies, political manipulation and orchestrated deceit’ against me."”
The public fallout between Abubakar and Obasanjo reflects the volatile nature of Nigerian political coalitions. By framing the conflict as a 20-year campaign of deceit, Abubakar is attempting to delegitimize any current or future criticisms from Obasanjo by casting them as part of a prehistoric personal vendetta rather than legitimate political critique.
