Former President Olusegun Obasanjo says appointing former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as his running mate in the 1999 presidential election remains the biggest mistake of his presidency.

Obasanjo made the remark on Friday in Lagos during a fireside conversation with entertainer and activist Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charly Boy, at the public presentation of Charly Boy’s foundation and memoir, 999: A Memoir in Tribute to Late Justice Chukwudifu Oputa.

Responding to a question about the greatest mistake he made while in office, Obasanjo said he regretted his choice of vice president, explaining that he would not have selected Atiku if he had known then what he later discovered about him.

The former president, however, said he harbours no bitterness toward Atiku, noting that both men acted according to their convictions and that events ultimately allowed his administration to remain focused on governing the country.

Obasanjo and Atiku were elected Nigeria’s first civilian President and Vice President of the Fourth Republic in 1999 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Their administration initially worked closely on economic reforms and government policies.

Their relationship later broke down during Obasanjo’s second term, particularly after Atiku opposed attempts by supporters of the president to amend the Constitution to allow a third presidential term. The disagreement developed into a prolonged political feud that dominated national politics in the years leading to the 2007 general election.

The dispute eventually reached the courts after Atiku defected from the PDP to the Action Congress while still serving as vice president. Obasanjo declared his office vacant, but the Supreme Court ruled that the president had no constitutional power to remove an elected vice president, allowing Atiku to complete his tenure.

Since leaving office, both men have repeatedly exchanged accusations over corruption, political loyalty and governance. Although they briefly reconciled before the 2019 presidential election when Obasanjo endorsed Atiku’s presidential bid, the renewed alliance was short-lived, with both leaders later returning to opposing political positions.