The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader won the 1999 presidential election and ruled the country through 2007.

In a discussion with some secondary school students at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta, Ogun State, Obasanjo discussed the selection procedure that resulted in the selection of his vice president and admitted that he erred in choosing his running mate under the civil rule.

Obasanjo said he selected the wrong vice but it was a genuine mistake in the end. Obasanjo said he made many mistakes in life but that God made him overcome them.

“One of the mistakes I made was picking my number two when I wanted to become the president. But because it was a genuine mistake, God saved me,” Obasanjo said.

Recall that Obasanjo and Atiku clashed sometimes when they were both in power, and the problems persisted for years after. When discussing his second mistake, Obasanjo said that it occurred when General Sani Abacha, a late military ruler, was going to arrest him and the American Embassy offered him asylum.

According to Obasanjo, had God not intervened during his incarceration, he would have perished.

“When Abacha wanted to arrest me, I was told by the American ambassador that they will arrest me and that America has asked that I should be given asylum. I said no. It could have been a mistake because I could have lost my life,” he said.

Speaking on youth involvement in politics, Obasanjo voiced concerns about the not too young to rule movement, saying that if the current trajectory in Nigeria continues, youths may never attain power.

The former president lamented the fact that candidates for national office are often between 70 and 80 years old, notwithstanding the “Not Too Young to Run” campaign.

Obasanjo questioned, “How can the youth run?” and added that due to the high cost of entering politics, youths would not be able to hold positions of authority.