The African Democratic Congress, ADC, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has revealed why he opposed former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s third-term bid, saying he chose to defend Nigeria’s Constitution and democracy over personal loyalty.

Atiku, in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, said Obasanjo’s latest public comments about him were an attempt to rewrite history.

He said the former President’s hostility towards him stemmed largely from his opposition to the controversial third-term agenda during the Obasanjo administration.

Atiku said he was proud to have stood against the move, insisting that his decision was based on his commitment to Nigeria’s Constitution and democratic principles.

“I am proud that I stood against the third-term agenda. I am proud that I stood by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I have no apology whatsoever for frustrating every attempt to subvert our democracy for personal ambition.

“If Chief Obasanjo’s bitterness stems from my refusal to support an unconstitutional third term, then I wear that resentment as a badge of honour. No individual, regardless of his status or accomplishments, is bigger than the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The Constitution is supreme, and I chose Nigeria over personal loyalty,” he said.

Atiku noted that the struggle against the third-term agenda was never about two individuals but about preserving Nigeria’s constitutional democracy for future generations.

“The Nigerian people won that battle. Democracy won that battle. History has already delivered its verdict.”

The former Vice President said it was unfortunate that the same man whose unconstitutional ambition was resisted now seeks to sit in judgment over those who defended the Constitution.

Atiku said it was particularly instructive that barely twenty-four hours before Chief Obasanjo’s latest outburst, the Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, publicly paid glowing tribute to the economic management team he led, describing it as “the best Nigeria has ever had”.

“Whether or not the timing is merely coincidental is for Nigerians to judge. What is beyond dispute, however, is that while distinguished Nigerians who served at the highest levels continue to acknowledge my contributions to one of Nigeria’s most successful periods of economic management, Chief Obasanjo appears determined to diminish them.

“Chief Obasanjo may choose not to appreciate my role in building one of Nigeria’s most prosperous economic eras, but history has been far kinder. The record speaks for itself, and so do the testimonies of those who worked closely with that administration,” he added.

Atiku further stated that Nigerians also deserve to remember the other side of history which Chief Obasanjo conveniently omits.

“History records that while Chief Obasanjo was in prison, I stood firmly by him. I supported his family, worked tirelessly with other patriots for his release and never wavered in my belief that he deserved his freedom.

“When he eventually regained his freedom, he had little to his name. I received him, clothed him, ensured he was properly cared for and extended every support necessary to help him regain his footing. Beyond that, I mobilised political structures, built alliances and made enormous personal and political sacrifices that culminated in his emergence as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the ADC presidential candidate said.

Atiku said he harbours no regrets over any of those acts.

He said, “Do I regret helping Chief Obasanjo? Absolutely not. When God gives you the opportunity to lift another human being, you do so without expecting repayment. Acts of kindness are matters of conscience, not commercial transactions.”

A civil society organisation, the Coalition of Concerned Nigeria Citizens, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to explain the alleged widespread failure of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, during Saturday’s mock accreditation exercise ahead of the August 15, 2026 Osun State governorship election.

The coalition claimed that the exercise, organised to assess INEC’s readiness for the governorship poll, encountered significant technical challenges at selected polling units across the state, raising concerns over the commission’s preparedness.

In a statement issued by the its spokesperson, Comrade Raufu Sodiq, the organisation alleged that the exercise, scheduled to commence at 8:30 a.m., started late in some polling units.

According to the statement, “many BVAS devices reportedly stopped recognising fingerprints, facial features and Permanent Voter Cards less than 40 minutes after the exercise began, preventing the successful accreditation of eligible voters in the affected locations.”

The coalition described the alleged development as disturbing, noting that a mock accreditation exercise should ordinarily strengthen public confidence in the electoral process rather than generate fresh concerns about election preparations.

It stated that voter accreditation remains a critical stage of every election because it determines voter eligibility and safeguards the integrity of the electoral process.

The group questioned why the reported technical challenges allegedly occurred despite years of preparation and substantial public investment in electoral technology.

“We believe in strong democratic institutions and do not want to see INEC fail. However, public confidence must be built on competence, transparency and accountability. The people of Osun deserve an election where every eligible voter can cast their vote without avoidable technological failures,” the statement read.

The coalition urged the Osun Resident Electoral Commissioner and the national leadership of INEC to provide a comprehensive explanation of the alleged BVAS malfunction and disclose measures being taken to prevent a recurrence during the August 15 governorship election.

Among its demands, the organisation asked INEC to “clarify whether the reported glitches resulted from software, hardware or configuration problems and explain its contingency plans for the state’s 3,763 polling units.”

It also called on the electoral commission to replace any faulty BVAS machines and consider conducting another mock accreditation exercise before the governorship election to restore public confidence in the electoral process.

The group further appealed to the INEC Chairman to personally address Nigerians before the election by explaining the outcome of the mock accreditation exercise, outlining corrective measures and assuring voters that all identified technical challenges would be resolved.

Meanwhile, the INEC Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan in a response to the glitch said it was attributed to the old Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs.

The INEC Chairman however said the issue has been resolved and the mock accreditation has resumed successfully.

NEC organised the mock accreditation exercise to test the functionality of the BVAS and other electoral processes ahead of the August 15 governorship election in Osun State.

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has published credentials and personal details of President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The INEC also published details of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and his running mate, Rabi’u Kwankwaso, alongside those of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Atiku Abubakar.

DAILY POST reports that Section 29(3) of the Electoral Act states that INEC is required to make candidates’ personal particulars public within 21 days of receiving them, allowing voters and stakeholders to scrutinise the documents submitted by aspirants.

Details published include certificates of academic qualifications and other supporting documents submitted by candidates seeking elective offices.

The publication of the documents comes ahead of the official commencement of campaigns for the 2027 presidential election on August 19.