A former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, has urged former President Olusegun Obasanjo to act as an elder statesman and stop what he described as recurring attacks on former Vice President Atiku Abubakar whenever election seasons approach.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Timi Frank accused Obasanjo of making Atiku a scapegoat every four years, describing the pattern as “outdated blackmail” that Nigerians had grown tired of.
He maintained that the choice of Nigeria’s president ultimately rests with the electorate and not with any political godfather.
“If it is destined for Atiku to become President, neither you nor anyone else can stop it,” Frank said.
He added, “Hopefully, by God’s grace, you will witness Atiku becoming President before you leave this earth.”
Frank alleged that Obasanjo had repeatedly blamed Atiku for the shortcomings of the administration they both served in between 1999 and 2007, despite being the President with constitutional authority over government decisions.
According to him, Atiku played a key role in assembling the technocrats and professionals responsible for many of the achievements credited to the Obasanjo administration.
He argued that the former President should accept responsibility for both the successes and failures of his government instead of continually portraying his former deputy as the source of its problems.
“If it is true that Atiku committed all of these things you have constantly accused him of, then we can conclude that you were a full accomplice as you presided over as President, because all the approving powers rested solely within your purview,” Frank said.
Describing Obasanjo’s criticism as repetitive, Frank added: “It is now a home movie series where you remember Atiku every four years for the single fact of smearing and gaslighting your ex-VP whenever an election cycle is near.”
He said Nigerians were no longer interested in what he called Obasanjo’s “stale and outdated” rhetoric and urged the former President to focus on offering fresh ideas instead of recycling allegations against Atiku.
Frank further challenged Obasanjo to openly support and campaign for any preferred candidate ahead of the 2027 presidential election rather than attacking Atiku.
“Sell your candidate if you have one at all and refrain from allowing yourself to be used before the issue of Atiku becomes a nightmare that may eventually consume you,” he said.
He also rejected claims that Atiku was responsible for Nigeria’s current challenges, arguing that the former vice president had been subjected to several investigations without producing the evidence his critics had long alleged.
Frank further accused Obasanjo of concentrating his criticism on Atiku while failing to direct similar scrutiny at the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
“Atiku isn’t the problem of Nigeria right now and we dare you to criticise the current government like the way you cry about Atiku,” he said.
He concluded by saying that Atiku had deliberately chosen not to respond personally to Obasanjo’s remarks, describing the f
ormer vice president’s silence as a sign of maturity.
