By Iyiola Olalere
The Democratic Front (TDF) has said that recent shocking and weighty allegations by former President Olusegun Obasanjo against his former Vice President and current Presidential Candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, over an alleged N5 million bribe offered to the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, late Ghali Na’Abba for his impeachment have raised more questions on the former VP’s integrity.
In a statement signed by its Chairman Danjuma Muhammad and Secretary Wale Adedayo,the group said that Obasanjo’s claims have raised further questions on Atiku’s integrity and democratic credentials.
It said: “Although the former House of Representatives Speaker Ghali Na’Abba is not alive to provide further clarity on his alleged role in the bribe-for-impeachment allegation, the fact that it was made by a former President against his own former deputy, calls for serious concern and introspection from concerned Nigerians.
“This is not the first time former President Olusegun Obasanjo would confidently and without any iota of contradiction accuse former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of corruption and political treachery.
“Nigerians were indeed shocked when the former Vice President choose to apologize to former President Obasanjo in response to the accusations of mega corruption and malfeasance made against him in Obasanjo’s book, ‘My Watch’. It was this act of self admittance of guilt, coupled with an atrocious record of public service that continue to dog and plague Atiku Abubakar’s political ambition to preside over the affairs of the country.
“Going by his inability to challenge the accusations through a legal action, it will be difficult for anyone to fault Obasanjo’s latest claim that Atiku bribed the late Speaker Na’Abba to get him impeached from office.
“In our opinion, former President Obasanjo’s allegations opens a new Pandora box in the former Vice President’s sordid public service record despite the lame attempt to deny it.
“It has confirmed the former Vice President as a politician with vaunting ambition, elephantine capacity for mischief, treachery, and backstabbing as portrayed severally by former President Obasanjo. Such a person cannot, and should not be trusted with any public office in Nigeria.
“We are convinced that former President Obasanjo is in a better position to assess Atiku’s performance and character having worked with him, so we cannot disagree with his verdict on Atiku’s record of service.
The group urged Nigerian voters to see Obasanjo’s allegations as another early warning sign on why they should not vote for Atiku Abubakar in the forthcoming 2027 presidential election.