By Abiola Olawale
In a stunning revelation, former Jigawa State Governor and ex-National Secretary of the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP), Sule Lamido, has disclosed that he and the late former Kano State Governor, Abubakar Rimi, turned down a N160 million bribe allegedly offered by the late Abba Kyari.
Lamido asserted that Kyari, who later served as Chief of Staff to former President Muhammadu Buhari, offered him and late Rimi the N160 million bribe to help secure their support for his bid to become former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s vice-presidential running mate in 1999 under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform.
This revelation was detailed in Lamido’s newly released autobiography, Being True to Myself.
In Chapter 9 of his autobiography, titled “Abdulsalami’s Transition and Formation of the PDP,” Lamido recalled that the incident involving the N160million bribe offer that took place during the political realignments ahead of the 1999 elections, came as a huge shock to himself and Rimi.
According to Lamido, Kyari approached him and Rimi with a young associate, presenting an N160 million bank draft as a “contribution” to the PDP’s campaign expenses.
The offer, Lamido alleged, was a thinly veiled attempt to sway their support for Kyari’s vice-presidential ambition.
Lamido asserted: “The young man greeted me in the traditional respectful salutation for elders, Ranka ya dade (May you live long), Sule! He then continued, gesturing to his companion, who extended his hand for a handshake, saying: ‘This is Abba Kyari, my companion. He wants to be allowed to serve as the running mate to Obasanjo on the PDP platform. He has brought a bank draft for the sum of N160 million as a contribution to the party, to meet the campaign expenses.’
“Rimi and I were stunned. We couldn’t believe what we just heard. We were both in shock as we stared at the two men, who also stared back at us with a straight face. ‘What?’ I reacted. ‘I beg your pardon. Are you coming here with money to buy us? So, you are giving us N160 million for Kyari, whom we have never met before, to be allowed to be the running mate to Obasanjo, as the Vice President of Nigeria?’
“My eyes were red with anger. ‘You aren’t serious, are you? You idiot!’ They went away, sheepishly.
“The young man had brought Kyari to meet us because he thought Rimi and I were very crucial in the selection process. It was quite incredible that Abba Kyari, at that time, could offer so much money to buy the position of vice president!”
The incident, according to Lamido, highlighted the intense behind-the-scenes negotiations that shaped the PDP’s formation and the selection of Obasanjo’s running mate during General Abdulsalami Abubakar’s transition to civilian rule.
Recall that Obasanjo later chose Atiku Abubakar as his then-vice-presidential candidate and the duo went on to win the 1999 presidential election.
