2003: Obasanjo Vowed That He Would Not Allow Atiku To Contest, So He Threw Him Out Of The PDP — Isah

In a recent interview on Silverbird N24, former President of the Nigeria Guild of Editors, Mustapha Isah, revisited a pivotal moment in Nigeria’s political history, focusing on the 2003 general election and the internal tensions within the Peoples Democratic Party. Speaking on Inside Politics, Isah explained how disagreements among party leaders and governors at the time had a profound impact on candidate selection and the political landscape.

According to Isah, “Obasanjo vowed that he would not allow Atiku to contest, so he threw him out of the PDP,” He noted that in the lead-up to the 2003 election, former President Olusegun Obasanjo was determined to secure a second term, but faced resistance from several PDP governors who openly supported former Vice President Atiku Abubakar instead.

Isah recalled that the conflict escalated to the point where Obasanjo’s influence within the party forced decisive action against Atiku, effectively pushing him out of the PDP. This move, Isah said, reflected the high-stakes nature of internal party politics in Nigeria, where personal ambitions and power struggles can override broader party consensus.

The former editors’ guild president emphasized that the 2003 incident was a lesson in how elite control and internal disputes can shape electoral outcomes. He explained that, despite opposition from within, Obasanjo managed to consolidate support and secure his re-election, demonstrating the power of incumbency and strategic political maneuvering.

Isah added that the episode remains relevant today, as current politicians and opposition parties navigate issues of internal democracy, unity, and succession planning. He concluded that understanding past political conflicts like the 2003 PDP crisis is essential for predicting how ambitions, alliances, and rivalries may influence Nigeria’s elections in the years ahead

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