For many Nigerians, whatever services Obasanjo had previously rendered their country were negated by his political behaviour during his second presidential term. They believed that, being a natural autocrat further corrupted by power, he had attempted to defy the constitution by seeking a third term of office or perhaps even attempting to make himself president for life. To achieve this, he had been willing to bribe and coerce legislators and to abuse his power by illegally excluding Vice- President Atiku from seeking election as president. When Obasanjo's bid for a third term failed, so it was said, he had tried with greater success to secure the election of a weak and compliant successor by making the presidential election of 2007 the most corrupt and undemocratic that Nigeria had seen.

This is a formidable charge and Nigerians were surely right to feel that to understand Obasanjo's behaviour on this issue is crucial to understanding the man. Part of the charge is certainly true, especially the treatment of Atiku and the character of the election. Yet there are two objections to the predominant opinion: it does not recognise the complexity of the political situation facing Obasanjo during his second term, and it does not appreciate the depth of his lifetime dedication to Nigerian unity and stability. To meet these objections requires a more subtle interpretation, although much must remain speculative until the relevant documents are publicly available. Obasanjo's behaviour as civilian president was shaped chiefly by his experience twenty years earlier as military head of state, especially the failure of the political transition that he had supervised.