African Democratic Congress presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has defended his investment in education after President Bola Tinubu questioned how he built an educational institution while serving as vice-president.
Atiku said his investment predated his public service, citing 1993 as the year he laid the foundation for ABTI Academy, which later grew into the American University of Nigeria.
In a statement issued by his Director of Strategic Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku contrasted the school’s beginnings with the forfeiture of $460,000 in the United States linked to Tinubu in 1993, accusing the president of trying to divert attention from his administration’s performance.
“My investment in education predates my time in public service,” Atiku said, adding that he was laying the foundation for ABTI Academy while a US court ordered the forfeiture of funds in an account in Tinubu’s name.
He said his business history and entry into public life were traceable, accusing Tinubu of attempting to undermine his record by questioning his education investment.
Atiku also turned his criticism to the economic impact of Tinubu’s administration, arguing that the rising cost of living, mounting debt, insecurity and unemployment undermined the president’s bid for a second term in 2027.
He challenged Tinubu’s argument that Nigeria could not return to fuel subsidy, questioning whether the government’s economic direction would bring relief to citizens.
The ADC candidate further alleged that the administration had pushed more than 79 million Nigerians into extreme poverty.
The statement was issued amid the emerging political contest ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with Atiku positioning his criticism of the government’s economic record as a central argument against Tinubu’s re-election.
