Stop Using Atiku As Your Election-Year Scapegoat – Timi Frank Tells Obasanjo

Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Comrade Timi Frank, has accused former President Olusegun Obasanjo of repeatedly using former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as an “election-year scapegoat,” urging the former Nigerian leader to stop what he described as a recurring campaign of blackmail against his former deputy.

The position was contained in a statement signed on Saturday, by Frank, who identified himself as the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) Ambassador for East Africa and the Middle East and Senior Advisor to the Global Friendship City Association (GFCA), USA. The statement was released on Saturday.

Frank alleged that Obasanjo had developed a pattern of attacking Atiku whenever Nigeria approaches another election cycle.

“It is shameful that despite serving as President between 1999 and 2007, Obasanjo has continued to evade responsibility for the record of his administration while repeatedly dragging Atiku into the political mud whenever another election approaches,” Frank said.

Describing Obasanjo’s repeated criticisms of Atiku as an “outdated blackmail pattern,” Frank said Nigerians had become tired of what he called the former President’s recurring allegations.

According to him, Obasanjo was deliberately shifting responsibility for the shortcomings of his administration to Atiku, despite being the country’s President and constitutional authority at the time.

Frank argued that Atiku played a significant role in assembling the technocrats and professionals who, according to him, delivered many of the achievements credited to the Obasanjo administration.

“He, therefore, challenged Obasanjo to take responsibility for both the successes and failures of the government instead of repeatedly portraying his former deputy as the architect of its problems,” the statement read.

The former APC spokesman also referred to controversial military operations carried out during Obasanjo’s presidency, including those in Odi, Bayelsa State, and Zaki Biam, Benue State.

“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.

He further accused Obasanjo of reviving allegations against Atiku every four years, describing the former President’s interventions as predictable political rituals.

“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.

Frank maintained that Nigerians were no longer interested in what he described as Obasanjo’s “stale and outdated” rhetoric, urging the former President to offer fresh ideas instead of recycling allegations against Atiku.

“It is your prerogative not to support Alhaji Atiku, which is constitutional, but using this blackmail tactic is stale and wouldn’t give your preferred candidate victory at the polls,” he stated.

“We urge you to put a hold to this comedy skit every four years where you are being recruited as a spoiler for which you are known for since your days as military Head of State.”

Frank also urged Obasanjo, if he had a preferred candidate for the 2027 presidential election, to openly campaign for that individual instead of 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 dismissed what he described as attempts to portray Atiku as Nigeria’s major problem, arguing that the former Vice President had faced numerous investigations over the years without producing the outcomes his critics had repeatedly alleged.

Turning his criticism directly at Obasanjo, Frank accused the former President of focusing disproportionately on Atiku while failing to devote similar attention to the current administration.

“Atiku isn’t the problem of Nigeria right now and we dare you to criticize the current government like the way you cry about Atiku,” he said.

Frank also described it as hypocritical for Obasanjo to continually place Atiku “on trial in the court of public opinion” while refusing to answer questions surrounding decisions taken during his own presidency.

He further alleged that Obasanjo recognised Atiku’s leadership qualities but had made criticising him a recurring political strategy.

“Obasanjo knows the truth that Atiku is eminently qualified and possesses the requisite capacity to lead Nigeria, but doing a hatchet job by criticising him has become a money making business for the Owu Chief. Fortunately, Nigerians are fully aware of this, hence they ignore him,” Frank said.

He also questioned Obasanjo’s political influence, arguing that candidates allegedly backed by the former President had not enjoyed consistent electoral success.

“Your political value is whitewash and a ruse because any candidate you support has always been defeated at the polls, even in your state of Ogun,” he stated.

Frank said Atiku had deliberately refrained from responding personally to Obasanjo, describing the former Vice President’s silence as a demonstration of political maturity.

According to him, Atiku possessed information that could be damaging to his former boss if he decided to respond publicly.

He urged Obasanjo to conduct himself as an elder statesman and emulate what he described as the restraint demonstrated by former military leaders Ibrahim Babangida, Abdulsalami Abubakar and Yakubu Gowon.

Frank added that political power ultimately rests with Nigerians rather than any political godfather.

“If it is destined for Atiku to become President, neither you nor anyone else can stop it,” he said.

He concluded, “Hopefully, by God’s grace, you will witness Atiku becoming President before you leave this earth.”