Atiku rejects Obasanjo's 5 million naira bribery claim

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has forcefully rejected allegations by former President Olusegun Obasanjo that he bribed a late lawmaker to orchestrate an impeachment plot more than two decades ago, calling the claims a politically motivated attempt to damage his reputation ahead of the 2027 presidential election. Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, issued his rebuttal on July 24, 2026, through a statement from his spokesperson, Phrank Shaibu.

The controversy stems from allegations Obasanjo made on July 23, 2026. The former president claimed that during his first term, Atiku, then his vice president, invited the late Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ghali Umar Na'Abba, to his office on a Friday when Obasanjo was away. Obasanjo alleged that Atiku gave Na'Abba 5 million naira to commence impeachment proceedings, an act he described as an attempt to seize power "by hook or by crook." Obasanjo stated the alleged plot was reported to him by his Chief of Staff.

In his response titled "The Grave Is Not A Witness Box," Atiku denounced the allegations as unfair and reckless, arguing that Obasanjo waited until after Na'Abba's death to make a...