Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has alleged that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar provided N5 million to support an impeachment plot against him during his first term in office.
Obasanjo made the claim while responding to comments by former Ogun State Governor Olusegun Osoba on the political developments that preceded the 2003 general elections.
In a statement, the former president alleged that the late Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ghali Na’Abba, began impeachment proceedings after a meeting with Atiku.
According to Obasanjo, Atiku invited Na’Abba to his office on a Friday while he was away and persuaded him that he should serve only one term as president.
Obasanjo further claimed that Atiku handed Na’Abba N5 million to commence the impeachment process.
He said the alleged meeting, financial transaction and related developments were documented and later reported to him by his Chief of Staff, whom he described as a professional intelligence officer.
Despite the alleged plot, Obasanjo said he was not disturbed by the impeachment threat because he believed there were no constitutional grounds for his removal from office.
The former president maintained that the impeachment effort lacked legal merit and did not pose a genuine threat to his administration.