Atiku Abubakar’s media aide, Olusola Sanni, has fired back at former President Olusegun Obasanjo, dismissing his latest attack on the ADC presidential candidate as a tired, election‑season rerun.
Speaking on Arise TV, Sanni called out the timing of Obasanjo’s recent claim that he regretted picking Atiku as his running mate in 1999. “Why is it that at the twilight of every election, Obasanjo comes out with these statements?” Sanni asked. “That tells you it’s more political than rational.”
He reminded Nigerians that in 2003, Obasanjo publicly credited Atiku for securing his re‑election victory, even calling him to share the glory. “You can make a mistake once and be excused. But when you make the same mistake twice, it becomes deliberate,” Sanni added, accusing the elder statesman of selective amnesia.
Sanni argued that constantly condemning a deputy from one of Nigeria’s most productive administrations is unbecoming of a former leader. He insisted Obasanjo’s remarks are not about genuine regret but a calculated move to sway voters ahead of the next polls. ”If Obasanjo truly had issues, why wait until election season to voice them? Why not speak in the 17 years since?” Sanni pressed.
The aide urged Nigerians to see through what he called “political manipulation”, stressing that Atiku remains focused on his campaign and will not be distracted by recycled criticism. He added that Obasanjo’s repeated outbursts only expose a pattern of convenience, not conviction.
Sanni concluded that the former president’s credibility on such matters has worn thin, and that Nigerians should judge candidates by their record not by the outbursts of a man who changes his tune every election cycle.