“How can I be on the same side with Atiku? To do what?” Obasanjo asked. “If I support Atiku for anything, God will not forgive me. If I do not know, yes. But once I know, Atiku can never enjoy my support."
Olusegun Obasanjo, former President, says God will not forgive him should he support Atiku Abubakar, his former deputy for eight years, for public office.
Obasanjo and Atiku have a long-running feud, which most analysts trace back to lead-up to the 2003 presidential election, when governors of the ruling party preferred Atiku to succeed his boss, who wanted a second term.
Earlier, in the week, Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka said Obasanjo knelt down for Atiku in a desperate bid to secure the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ticket for the 2003 poll — a humbling moment for which Obasanjo remains bent on punishing his former deputy.
However, speaking with Premium Times on Friday, Obasanjo said his opposition to Atiku’s perennial political ambition is simply down to his deep understanding of the former Adamawa State Governor-Elect.
“How can I be on the same side with Atiku? To do what?” Obasanjo asked.
“If I support Atiku for anything, God will not forgive me. If I do not know, yes. But once I know, Atiku can never enjoy my support.
“I do not have personal grudges with anyone. If you do not do well for Nigeria, you do not do well for all of us.
“It is not a question of working with or not working with an individual,” he said. “If you are working for the good of Nigeria, I am working with you. If you are not working for the good of Nigeria it does not matter who you are I am not working with you.”