Former Bayelsa state governor, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, says former President Obasanjo picked Goodluck Jonathan as the running mate of late President YarAdua in the 2007 election because he, Obasanjo, wanted to stop former VP Atiku Abubakar from running for president. Alamiyeseigha reportedly said this while speaking to journalist at his home in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa state capital.
“For Goodluck, I knew that Jonathan was going to be vice president of Nigeria as far back as August 25, 2005. Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, told me that since Atiku and I wanted to take his job, that it would be over his dead body; and that unless he died, Atiku cannot be president of Nigeria. Obasanjo said since Atiku had picked me as his running mate, he would make sure that he dealt with and disgraced us. He said he was going to use my deputy to rubbish me before everybody. So, I knew.” he said