Former Nigerian leaders Atiku Abubakar and Olusegun Obasanjo reunite at a recent charity event, drawing attention and stirring conversation about their relationship and shared causes.
Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential candidate for 2023, has happily reconnected with his former principal, former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
The two leaders convened at the 25th-anniversary celebration of the Women Trafficking and Child Labour Eradication Foundation, an organization established by Mrs. Titi Abubakar, Atiku’s wife.
On Monday, Atiku shared a post on his X.com account expressing his excitement about the reunion and describing it as a profound privilege to walk alongside his former boss.
He underscored the event’s importance, which brings attention to vital issues of human trafficking and child labor in Nigeria.
Atiku also seized the opportunity to praise Obasanjo for his steadfast dedication and support of the foundation, recognizing the former president’s efforts in addressing these urgent social issues.
He expressed: “It’s a significant honor to walk with our distinguished former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, at the lively 25th Anniversary celebration of the WOTCLEF Foundation in Abuja. This event highlights the steadfast support that President Obasanjo has provided to the Foundation.”
In the meantime, Obasanjo has detailed how he obtained debt forgiveness for the country during his tenure as elected president from 1999 to 2007.
Obasanjo expressed concern over the leadership deficit and growing corruption in the country, pointing out that while securing debt forgiveness from global financial institutions is achievable, it requires leaders to present a legitimate cause.
He revealed that global lenders need assurance of the sincerity of those requesting debt forgiveness, emphasizing that any agreement should be carefully directed towards developmental initiatives.
READ ALSO: Obasanjo Highlights Rising Debt Despite Leaving $70 Billion in Nigeria’s Reserves
In an interview with News Central TV, Obasanjo stated that he successfully secured debt forgiveness for the country by demonstrating his commitment to using the saved funds for sustainable development.
The former President claimed that recent leaders seldom offer fair proposals for debt forgiveness, attributing this to corruption and a lack of planning.
Obasanjo stated that when he assumed office as a democratic president in 1999, Nigeria was burdened with servicing a debt of $3.5 billion and had an overall debt load of approximately $36 billion, while the country’s reserves held around $3.7 billion.
He stated that, after clearing the debts through securing relief, he had left $45 billion in reserves and $25 billion in the excess crude account.
Upon my election as President of Nigeria, I was deeply concerned about the country’s debt and felt compelled to address it. The sheer amount of debt we were managing imposed an overwhelming burden. Despite spending $3.5 billion annually on servicing this debt, the overall amount remained unchanged. It became clear to me that pursuing debt relief was a necessary course of action.
Obasanjo stated, “While many individuals both within Nigeria and beyond considered it a mere bad dream, I was certain of the situation. So, I approached the World Bank and began discussions with our creditors.”
