Key Takeaways

• Atiku Abubakar has criticised President Bola Tinubu following comments questioning his investment in education.
• Atiku maintains that his investment in education predates his time in public service.
• He cited the establishment of ABTI Academy in 1993 and its subsequent development into the American University of Nigeria.
• Atiku challenged Tinubu over what he described as unanswered questions about the President’s past.
• He criticised the Tinubu administration over the cost of living, poverty, unemployment, insecurity and rising debt.
• Atiku claimed that more than 79 million Nigerians had been pushed into extreme poverty, a figure that requires independent verification.
• He also criticised a remark he attributed to Tinubu’s campaign Director-General concerning hungry Nigerians.
• The exchange adds to the political debate ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has fired back at President Bola Tinubu following the latter’s criticism of his investment in the education sector.

Atiku described Tinubu’s comments as an attempt to distract Nigerians from the challenges facing the country, insisting that he has records to demonstrate how he built his business interests and established his reputation in both the private and public sectors.

In a statement issued on Saturday by the Director of Strategic Communication of his presidential campaign, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku maintained that his investment in education began before he entered public service.

The former Vice President also questioned Tinubu’s own record, arguing that the President should be prepared to account for his past rather than focus on attacking his educational investments.

Atiku Explains Why He Is Responding to Tinubu

Atiku’s reaction followed Tinubu’s reported criticism of his investment in education and questions about how he established an educational institution while serving as Vice President.

Responding to the criticism, Atiku said his investment in education predated his time in government. He argued that his business history could be traced through records and documented activities.

He also challenged Tinubu over what he described as unanswered questions about the President’s past.

In his statement, Atiku said:

“Again, Bola Tinubu has told Nigerians why they should not allow him to continue as president after his first tenure. He also chose to question my investment in education and ask how I built an educational institution while serving as Vice President.”

Atiku Says His Education Investment Predates Public Service

Defending the origins of his educational investment, Atiku explained that the foundation for ABTI Academy was laid in 1993, before his time as Vice President.

He subsequently referred to the institution’s development into the American University of Nigeria, using its history to support his argument that his investment in education was not established through his position in government.

However, Atiku also made a serious reference to a United States court proceeding involving an account he alleged was in Tinubu’s name.

The allegation should be understood as part of Atiku’s statement and not as an independently established finding in this report.

He said:

“The answer is simple: my investment in education predates my time in public service. In 1993, while a U.S. court ordered the forfeiture of funds in an account in your name, describing them as proceeds of narcotics trafficking or funds involved in unlawful financial transactions, I was laying the foundation for ABTI Academy. That Academy has since grown into the American University of Nigeria.”

Atiku further contrasted his business and educational history with what he described as Tinubu’s unclear past.

He maintained that his achievements could be demonstrated through records and challenged the President to address questions about his own history.

He stated:

“That moment captures the difference between us. My history is traceable. I can show Nigerians how I built my name, achieved success in business and entered public leadership. Your own history remains clumsy and foggy. You cannot erase it by attacking my record in education.”

Atiku Questions Tinubu’s Performance Ahead of 2027

Beyond defending his educational investments, Atiku turned his attention to the economic situation under Tinubu’s administration.

He criticised the President over the cost-of-living crisis and argued that the administration should focus on addressing the challenges affecting Nigerians rather than seeking another electoral mandate.

Atiku also suggested that the central issue ahead of the 2027 presidential election should be how the country can recover from the difficulties he attributed to the current government.

He said:

“A president who has plunged the country into a crushing cost-of-living crisis has no business asking Nigerians for another mandate. The real conversation about the 2027 election is how to repair the damage your government has done.”

Atiku also questioned the direction of the government’s economic policies, particularly following the removal of the fuel subsidy.

While acknowledging Tinubu’s position that Nigeria could not return to the subsidy system, he argued that Nigerians deserved a clearer explanation of what the administration’s economic direction would deliver.

He said:

“You say Nigeria cannot return to subsidy and must move forward. But you cannot even tell Nigerians where you are taking them. Forward into deeper poverty, mounting debt, insecurity and mass unemployment?”

Atiku Accuses Tinubu’s Government of Worsening Economic Hardship

The ADC presidential candidate further criticised Tinubu’s leadership, describing the period since the President’s inauguration in 2023 as one marked by economic hardship and uncertainty.

He accused the administration of worsening poverty and claimed that more than 79 million Nigerians had been pushed into extreme poverty.

The figure and the claim about the administration’s responsibility remain Atiku’s assertions in the statement and would require independent verification before being presented as established statistics.

Atiku said:

“Since your inauguration in 2023, your leadership has become synonymous with hardship, pain and despair. Your record is a working example of how a country should not be led. You have created poverty on an industrial scale, pushing more than 79 million Nigerians into extreme poverty.”

Atiku Criticises Remarks Attributed to Tinubu’s Campaign Director-General

Atiku also criticised a comment he attributed to the Director-General of Tinubu’s campaign concerning hungry Nigerians.

He argued that describing struggling citizens as lazy showed a lack of understanding of the economic difficulties facing ordinary people.

The former Vice President questioned how the government could effectively address hunger if people in positions of authority did not acknowledge the problem.

He said:

“Your campaign’s Director-General says hungry Nigerians are simply lazy. He delivered that statement in grammar so badly constructed it could wake the dead. This government does not even believe Nigerians are hungry. How can you solve a problem you refuse to acknowledge?”

Political Implications of Atiku’s Exchange With Tinubu

Atiku’s response adds another dimension to the political exchanges surrounding the 2027 presidential election.

The disagreement touches on several important issues, including the credibility of political leaders’ business records, investment in education, economic management and the administration’s response to poverty and unemployment.

By defending the history of his educational investments, Atiku is seeking to challenge the criticism directed at him while presenting his business background as evidence of his experience.

His remarks about the economy also place the performance of Tinubu’s administration at the centre of the emerging political debate.

However, the claims made by Atiku about Tinubu’s past, the government’s economic record and the poverty figure should be assessed separately and against verifiable evidence.

The supplied statement does not include a response from Tinubu or his representatives to the allegations raised by Atiku.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Why did Atiku Abubakar attack President Bola Tinubu?

Atiku reacted to Tinubu’s reported criticism of his investment in education. He defended his business history and questioned the President’s record.

2. What did Tinubu reportedly question about Atiku?

Tinubu reportedly questioned Atiku’s investment in education and how he established an educational institution while serving as Vice President.

3. When did Atiku say he started his investment in education?

Atiku said he began laying the foundation for ABTI Academy in 1993, before his time in public service.

4. What is the relationship between ABTI Academy and the American University of Nigeria?

According to Atiku’s statement, ABTI Academy subsequently developed into the American University of Nigeria.

5. What did Atiku say about Tinubu’s economic performance?

He criticised the administration over the cost-of-living crisis, poverty, mounting debt, insecurity and unemployment.

6. What poverty figure did Atiku mention?

Atiku claimed that more than 79 million Nigerians had been pushed into extreme poverty. This figure was presented in his statement and requires independent verification.

7. Who issued the statement on Atiku’s behalf?

The statement was issued by Phrank Shaibu, identified in the report as the Director of Strategic Communication of Atiku’s presidential campaign.

8. Did Tinubu respond to Atiku’s latest allegations in the supplied report?

The supplied report does not include a response from Tinubu or his representatives.

Final Thoughts

Atiku Abubakar’s latest response to President Bola Tinubu has brought the debate over business records, educational investments and economic performance into sharper focus ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

While Atiku has defended the history of his educational investments and criticised the administration’s handling of the economy, the allegations raised against Tinubu and the figures cited in the statement require careful examination.

The exchange reflects the growing political contest between the two camps as attention turns towards the next presidential election.