Shehu Sani Says Obasanjo–Atiku Feud Has Spanned an Entire Generation
By Peace Erewunmi
Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has weighed in on the long-running political rivalry between former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, describing it as a feud that has lasted so long that an entire generation has grown up, graduated and started families during its course.
In a post shared on his X account, Sani noted that the disagreement between the two political figures began when many members of Generation Z were still in nursery and primary school, yet it continues today. He remarked that the prolonged dispute illustrates the enduring nature of one of Nigeria’s most prominent political rivalries.
Sani further suggested that the feud may continue for the rest of their lives, adding that it could only come to an end when one of the two political leaders is no longer alive. Using military imagery, he likened Atiku’s attacks on Obasanjo to a “devastating bomb,” while describing Obasanjo’s responses over the years as “hypersonic missiles.”
His comments followed the latest exchange between the two former leaders after Obasanjo reportedly described his decision to choose Atiku as his running mate in the 1999 presidential election as one of the biggest mistakes of his political career. Atiku, in response, rejected the criticism and defended his role in Obasanjo’s emergence as president, accusing the former leader of attempting to rewrite history.
The renewed war of words has sparked fresh public debate over the decades-long political relationship between the two statesmen, who served together in government from 1999 to 2007 before becoming persistent political rivals.
