Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has accused President Bola Tinubu of attempting to divert public attention from his administration’s performance by questioning his investment in education.
Atiku, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, maintained that he began investing in education in 1993, when he laid the foundation for ABTI Academy, which later became the American University of Nigeria (AUN).
He also revived allegations concerning the forfeiture of $460,000 linked to Tinubu in the United States, claiming that the development occurred around the time he began his educational investment.
In a statement issued on Saturday by his Director of Strategic Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said his investment in education predated his time in public office.
He was responding to Tinubu’s questions about how he funded an educational institution while serving as Vice-President.
“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.
“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,” he said.
Atiku argued that his business and educational investments were traceable, accusing the President of using political attacks to undermine his record.
He urged Tinubu to focus on addressing the country’s economic challenges rather than questioning his investment in education.
“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,” he said.
The former vice-president also criticised the administration’s economic policies, citing the removal of petrol subsidy, rising living costs, mounting debt, insecurity and unemployment.
He questioned the government’s position that Nigeria could not return to subsidised petrol prices, arguing that the policy could deepen poverty and economic hardship.
Atiku further claimed that more than 79 million Nigerians had been pushed into extreme poverty under the Tinubu administration.
He also criticised a recent comment attributed to the President’s campaign Director-General, accusing the administration of dismissing the hardship experienced by citizens.
According to him, the government could not effectively tackle poverty without acknowledging the scale of the economic difficulties facing Nigerians.
The ADC candidate said his Affordable Life campaign was designed to provide an alternative to what he described as the hardship caused by the current administration’s policies.
He also defended his proposal to introduce a transparent, production-based fuel subsidy linked to local refining, promising that the arrangement would reduce energy costs for Nigerians.
“You say Nigeria will never return to subsidised petrol prices. You are wrong. By the grace of the Almighty and with the mandate of the Nigerian people, I will restore a transparent, production-based subsidy tied to the local refining of fuel. Nigerians will benefit directly through lower energy costs, including the prices of petrol and diesel,” he said.
Atiku also promised increased investment in social welfare programmes and an end to what he described as an opaque system for distributing funds intended for economically vulnerable Nigerians.
He accused Tinubu of attacking his campaign because it offered an alternative to the administration’s policies, insisting that he would remain on the ballot for the 2027 presidential election.
Atiku expressed confidence in his chances in the election and criticised the administration’s record after three and a half years in office.
He said his Affordable Life campaign would prioritise economic growth, prosperity and national development.
