Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has described his choice of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as his running mate in the 1999 presidential election as the biggest mistake of his political career.

Obasanjo made the remark in Lagos during a fireside chat with veteran entertainer, Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charly Boy, at the unveiling of the Charly Boy Foundation and the launch of his memoir, 999: A Memoir in Tribute to Late Justice Chukwudifu Oputa.

The former president and Atiku were elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 1999 and served together as president and vice president until 2007.

Reflecting on his time in office, Obasanjo said that, in hindsight, he would not have selected Atiku as his vice-presidential candidate.

“I would say the greatest mistake I made was picking Atiku Abubakar as my vice president in 1999,” Obasanjo said.

 He, however, noted “that he harbours no bitterness over the eventual breakdown of their relationship, adding that the challenges arising from it did not prevent his administration from achieving its goals”.

Obasanjo also addressed recurring discussions about his ancestry, insisting that his roots are in Abeokuta, Ogun State, where he said his family house still stands.

By Jeff Agbodo, Abakaliki

The Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has said that he’s not attacking the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) Presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, but asking the South-East people not to vote for him.

He said that he had been proud to work for President Bola Tinubu’s reelection due to his infrastructural projects in Nigeria, especially in the South East zone.

Umahi stated this during an inspection project Trans-Sahara highway and Legacy projects that cut across Cross River–Abuja.

He said contractors had been directed to employ more local workers to maximise the economic benefits accruing to host communities.

According to him, Section Two of the project, spanning about 168 kilometres through Ebonyi, Benue, Enugu and Kogi States, has also been mobilised after the Federal Government paid 30 per cent mobilisation to the contractor. Ebonyi to Benue and terminated at Abuja, costing billions of naira.

He said that some people have been insulting him for supporting Tinubu and not supporting Peter Obi, his brother, saying that he has no regret supporting Tinubu, who he said is changing the narrative of South East marginalization infrastructurally.

“They have been insulting me. But I enjoyed this honestly because it shows that what I’m doing is touching them.  But there are some of them that are also reasonable.  They say the only thing is that you’re attacking Peter Obi.

” I say, no, I’m not attacking Peter Obi. I’m asking people in Southeast and Nigeria not to vote for him but to vote for President Bola Tinubu…And I have my facts.

“All the projects awarded by Tinubu will be completed. In the second tenure of Mr. President, let us not take risks. Don’t forget that any other person coming, you have to start with negotiating abandoned projects is not new in this country. But under President Tinubu, there will be no abandoned project. All these projects, all legacy projects, will be completed.

“The Enugu-Onitsha expressway is a success story. By December, that project is totally completed with solar light and tree planting, majorly on reinforced concrete type pavements.  And we are going to do tolling there. The essence of the tolling is just for the maintenance of the road  and then to have security that is going to be patrolling the road.

“And that is what we want to do, you know, all through. This is very important. And so I commend the contractor and the acting controller, you know, for their commitment, and it looks like all the SSAs of Mr. President are becoming engineers.

“When they speak, you know, they speak, you know, showing that we’ve been together. I encourage them to tell the story to community leaders and members.  

Umahi disclosed that Section One of the Cross River–Abuja Legacy Highway, covering about 125 kilometres, was nearing completion, with more than 30 per cent of the alignment traversing Ebonyi communities.

He said contractors had been directed to employ more local workers to maximise the economic benefits accruing to host communities.

According to him, Section Two of the project, spanning about 168 kilometres through Ebonyi, Benue, Enugu and Kogi States, has also been mobilised after the Federal Government paid 30 per cent mobilisation to the contractor.

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, has noted that preparations for the Osun governorship election also formed part of the commission’s broader plans for the 2027 general elections, describing the state as strategically important in Nigeria’s electoral calendar.

Prof Amupitan made this disclosure on Friday during a courtesy visit to the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji Olanipekun, where he appealed for the support of traditional institutions in promoting peace before, during and after the election.

According to him, “Osun is special in the democratic structure of Nigeria because it is the last major off-cycle election before the general elections. We now see it as a mirror through which we can measure our preparations for the 2027 general elections.”

He also maintained that the commission has put in place extensive measures to ensure a successful August 15 governorship election in Osun State and reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to delivering a peaceful, credible and transparent governorship election in the State. 

The INEC chairman said the commission had prioritised peaceful conduct, efficient logistics, timely commencement of voting, transparent result management and prompt declaration of results as critical components of the election.

According to him, “INEC had also introduced additional measures to enhance voter participation, including the extension of the Permanent Voter Card (PVC) collection period and the introduction of online voter registration initiatives.

“We have the responsibility and duty to do everything within our power to ensure that the election is peaceful.

“We are doing everything possible in INEC and putting a lot of measures in place, like the extension of the collection of PVCs and the introduction of online registration, to make sure the election is free, fair, inclusive and credible.”

Addressing concerns over political tension in the state, Amupitan disclosed that INEC had been working closely with security agencies, particularly the Nigeria Police Force, to ensure adequate deployment of personnel and prevent violence during the election.

He stressed that no political contest was worth the loss of human lives, saying, “The blood of any resident of the state is not worth shedding. INEC will do everything possible to ensure the safety of voters and our staff on election day.”

The INEC chairman appealed to the Ataoja to use his influence to encourage politicians and their supporters to embrace peace, noting that the monarch’s voice carried significant weight across Osogbo and beyond.

“We appeal to the Ataoja of Osogbo to help us intervene in order to avoid further regret and the futility of fighting ourselves. Osun is a shining example to other states, but what will they learn if there is violence and bloodshed? INEC is committed to ensuring that a peaceful election is achieved and that the people of the state freely choose their preferred candidate on 15 August,” he added.

Amupitan expressed concern that election-related violence could discourage voter turnout, warning that attempts to intimidate the electorate would undermine democratic participation.

Responding, the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji, welcomed the INEC chairman and called for a peaceful, free and fair governorship election across Osun State. 

Oba Oyetunji thanked the commission’s leadership for the visit and prayed for wisdom, strength and divine guidance in carrying out its constitutional responsibility.

Earlier, retired Justice Moshood Adekunle Adeigbe, the Asiwaju of Osogbo, described the assignment before the new INEC chairman as significant, particularly because of the importance of the forthcoming Osun governorship election. 

Justice Adeigbe also assured the INEC chairman that the Ataoja’s palace would continue to promote peaceful coexistence and encourage political stakeholders to embrace dialogue despite prevailing security concerns.