MY WATCH

In his latest book titled My Watch scheduled to be launched in Lagos this morning,
former President Olusegun Obasanjo has chronicled the genesis of the uneasy
relationship between him and his former deputy, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, as well as how
his aides planted moles within Atikuscamp to monitor him.
Obasanjo, who denied ever seeking Third Term in office, blamed Atiku for what he
described as a campaign of calumny against him on the issue after buying up the media.
From Obasanjos account, it would seem that his relationship with Atiku began on a sour
note:
By the Constitution, I had to inaugurate or prorogue the National Assembly on June 4,
1999. The most important officer in the National Assembly is the senate president and
that office had been zoned to the South-east. And here was where Atiku Abubakar, my
vice-president, first showed his hand and his character.
Without seeking my view or approval, he started planning the installation
of Chuba Okadigbo as the senate president. I did a background check on Chuba including
his past as a student and made enquiries about him in the National Party of Nigeria
(NPN) under (President Shehu) Shagari and no one would recommend him for the post of
senate president.
I left Atiku to go on his chase while I carried out a meticulous and detailed investigation
and background check on each senator from the South-east. The one that appeared
most appointablewas Evan Enwerem. I canvassed the senate across the board for his
election and he was elected.Atiku did not expect it and he felt sore.

He began to strategise for Enwerem to be removed and Chuba Okadigbo to be installed.

His strategy worked because I was at Abuja airport to receive a visiting head of state
when the news reached me that the Senate had impeached Enwerem and elected
Okadigbo. I was not perturbed. I came to understand from some senators including
Florence Ita-Giwa, who later became my Special Adviser/ Liaison Officer to the National
Assembly, that Atiku distributed US$5,000 each to some senators to carry out the coup.
That was the beginning of bribing the legislature to carry out a particular line of action
to suit or satisfy the purpose or desire of an individual or a group. The National Assembly
had tasted blood and they would continue to want more. From the day I nominated Atiku
to be my vice, he set his mind not for any good, benefit or service of the country, but on
furiously planning to upstage, supplant or remove me at all cost and to take my place.
That was what I brought him for, but he was impatient and over-ambitious. He was not
ready to learn and to wait. His marabout, who predicted that despite being elected as
governor, he would not be sworn in as a governor, which happened, also assured him that
he would take over from me in a matter of months rather than years.
All his plans, appointments of people and his actions were towards the actualisation of
his marabouts prediction. Once I realised his intention and programme, I watched him
like a hawk without giving any indication of what I knew and letting down my guard. I
could not succumb to the distraction, diversion and malevolence of an ambitious but
unwise deputy.
The work in hand was more important than a confrontational relationship with my
deputy, a man over whom I knew I had far more experience and outreach in all matters.

To alert him of what I knew he was up to, would only lead to lying, denial, more
mischievous plans and more duplicity on his part.
He was better managed that way. What was important was not allowing myself to be
surprised or outmanoeuvred by him. I must always seize the initiative and know what
was going on if not in his mind, but at least in his camp. That I did very effectively.
Sometime in the fourth quarter of 2004, an associate of Atiku came to my residence at
the Aso Villa from Atikus official residence. He felt uncomfortable and I tried to make
him feel at ease. Then, he settled to tell me the story of what had just transpired in
Atikus residence. I listened with rapt attention.
He went on to say that Atiku told him that for him to become the President of Nigeria,
the 2007 elections were only a formality.
The seven ingredients he needed for his enthronement were already in his hands. He
controlled the National Assembly because both the President of the Senate and the
Speaker of the House of Representatives were in his pocket. He controlled twenty-eight
out of thirty-six governors. He had control of the media. His influence over the judiciary
was overwhelming.
What he needed was foreign endorsement and for that he had employed two lobby
groups in the US and one in the UK. And finally, the money for the elections was in his
purse.
When the man finished, I thanked him without passing any comment. The man was
surprised at my reaction and asked, You have nothing to say to these? I said that I had

nothing to say and I immediately called my ADC, Chris Jemitola, to play a game of
squash with me.
On our way to the squash court with my ADC, I said, People at times make plans and
leave God out of their plans. My casual remark struck Chris and he said, Sir, that was a
profound statement. I said that I made the statement because of what I had just heard of
Atikus plan. I was not convinced he had put God in his plans.
Atiku was confident and God was laughing. Most of Atikus ingredients soon started to
fall out of place one by one. The first was the party, PDP.
He thought I was powerless and had no clue about the execution of his plan with his
group; part of his attack on me was for national chairman of the party to give the first
salvo, then other things would follow as his grip on the party would be firm and
consolidated.
That salvo came in the form of a letter to me from the chairman of the party, Audu
Ogbeh, who had fully defected with (Iyorchia) Ayu to Atiku.
The letter, which was not the product of any issue or matter discussed with or at any
party meeting, came suddenly. When I received it, I could read the sinister intention
behind it.
I spent that night writing my reply and I sent it in the morning. My reply was clear. I
wondered why Atiku and his group did not realise that with my reply, the battle line was
clear or maybe they thought that the seven ingredients would remain intact to the end.
My assistants had moles within the Atiku group. Anything that they planned would be
reported. That was the case after Ogbehs letter. They decided that Ogbeh should appear

remorseful and come with the National Working Committee to apologise to me. It was
not from their hearts, but to lure me to a killing ground.