Atiku Criticizes Tinubu’s Education and Policy Record Amid ADC Privatization Dispute

Atiku Abubakar responds to President Tinubu's "reckless tirade" regarding the ADC, questioning the President’s credentials and economic transparency.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 17, 2026, 3:54 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Politics Nigeria

War of Words Over Party Leadership

The political rivalry between Atiku Abubakar and President Bola Tinubu intensified today as Atiku responded to allegations regarding his role in the African Democratic Congress (ADC). President Tinubu recently remarked that Atiku was attempting to "privatize" the ADC despite the party's ongoing leadership crisis. Atiku, through his media aide Phrank Shaibu, dismissed these claims as a "reckless tirade" and suggested the President’s criticisms stem from a lack of understanding of structured reform.

Questioning Academic Credentials

In a pointed escalation, the statement from Atiku’s camp took aim at the President's educational background. Referencing long-standing controversies, Shaibu claimed that it is "not our fault the President does not and can not read," citing discrepancies in Tinubu’s historical school attendance records in Lagos and his degree from Chicago State University. The statement argued that a "properly educated" leader would recognize that the privatization efforts conducted during Atiku’s tenure as Vice President were structured and documented, specifically referencing Nasir El-Rufai’s book, The Accidental Public Servant.

Allegations of Opaque Commercialization

Atiku’s statement pivoted from personal attacks to a critique of the current administration’s economic handling of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC). He accused the Tinubu government of presiding over a "commercialization in opacity," alleging that national assets are being managed without clear valuation or transparency. According to Atiku, the current administration's actions constitute "privatization without accountability," contrasting it with the "structured effort to dismantle inefficiency" seen in previous reforms.