How I blocked Atiku From Becoming President — Anenih Reveals

A former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party’s Board of Trustees, Tony Anenih, said he blocked ex-Vice-President Atiku Abubakar from succeeding former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Anenih stated this in his book, titled ‘My Life and Nigerian Politics,’ which was presented in Abuja on Saturday.

Anenih, who served as the Minister of Works and Housing between 1999 and 2002, said Abubakar became too ambitious during the build-up to the 2003 presidential election in which Obasanjo was seeking a second term.
“As a result of my preparations for Chief Obasanjo’s second tenure, I stepped on the toes of many of those who did not want him to seek a second term. These are the people I can now refer to as members of the ‘G3’. These were General Ibrahim Babangida, (ex-) Vice- President Atiku Abubakar and the (ex-) National Security Adviser, General Aliu Gwarzo.

“There was no other way I could have offended the vice-president other than that I prevented him from being PDP’s presidential candidate in the 2003 presidential election. He erroneously believed that he was the only politician at the Villa and that he was better qualified than the President. I was well ahead of him in all his plans to prevent Chief Obasanjo from running (for re-election).”

Anenih, however, noted that after blocking Abubakar, the former vice-president also ensured that he (Anenih) lost his position in Obasanjo’s cabinet.

Culled from Punch