Donald Duke Recounts How IBB Warned Obasanjo About Atiku: ‘This One Cannot Rule Nigeria’

Donald Duke Recounts How IBB Warned Obasanjo About Atiku: ‘This One Cannot Rule Nigeria’

Former Cross River State Governor Donald Duke has revealed how former military Head of State Ibrahim Babangida allegedly warned ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo against trusting his then-deputy, Atiku Abubakar, during a tense political standoff ahead of the 2003 presidential election. Duke disclosed the account in a new book, How to Win Elections in Nigeria, written by Seun Oloketuyi, which chronicles the political intrigues of Nigeria’s early Fourth Republic. Duke, who governed Cross River from 1999 to 2007, said tensions between Obasanjo and Atiku had reached a boiling point as the president prepared to seek a second term. Atiku’s political activities had raised serious concerns within the administration about whether the Vice-President would continue to support Obasanjo’s re-election bid. The disagreement became so intense that 10 governors, including Duke, met with then-PDP National Chairman Solomon Lar to discuss possible alternatives for the vice-presidential slot.

Duke recalled receiving a late-night telephone call from Obasanjo, who complained bitterly about what he perceived as betrayal by his deputy. “I urged him to remain calm and promised to fly to Abuja the next morning,” Duke recounted. According to Duke, Atiku subsequently arranged for Babangida and former Head of State Abdulsalami Abubakar to meet with Obasanjo at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. During the meeting, Babangida reminded Obasanjo of agreements reached following his release from prison and warned that securing the support of northern political leaders for a second term would be difficult. When Obasanjo asked whether that was their final position, Babangida reportedly said further discussions were still possible.

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Duke said the most revealing exchange occurred after the meeting appeared to have ended. As the men were leaving Obasanjo’s private study, Babangida claimed he had forgotten his keys and asked the President to accompany him back inside. Once they were alone, Babangida dropped his diplomatic tone and delivered a blunt warning. “I warned you not to trust that your deputy,” Babangida allegedly told Obasanjo. When they returned to the others, Babangida looked at Atiku, then turned back to Obasanjo and declared: “This one cannot rule Nigeria.” Duke said the episode demonstrated the depth of political distrust between Obasanjo and Atiku at the time and offered a rare glimpse into the behind-the-scenes manoeuvring surrounding the 2003 election. Reflecting on his own political experience, Duke said the incident reinforced a key lesson: “Betrayal is a very crazy thing in politics.”

The relationship between Obasanjo and Atiku has remained strained since their time in office, with both men exchanging allegations over corruption, abuse of office and political betrayal. Their feud resurfaced recently when Obasanjo alleged that Atiku gave the late Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ghali Umar Na’Abba, N5 million to initiate impeachment proceedings against him during his first term. On August 1, during a fireside chat with activist Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charly Boy, in Lagos, Obasanjo again expressed strong reservations about Atiku and said he regretted choosing him as his vice-president. Atiku, who is now the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate for the 2027 election, has rejected the allegations, accusing Obasanjo of fabricating claims against him for political reasons. He has also argued that the former president’s criticism stems from his opposition to Obasanjo’s controversial third-term bid while they were in office, insisting that he has no regrets about his stance.

Donald Duke Recounts How IBB Warned Obasanjo About Atiku: ‘This One Cannot Rule Nigeria’