President Bola Tinubu has challenged former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar to explain how he funded the establishment of his university while serving as vice-president. The President made the accusation during an All Progressives Congress campaign rally in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, as political tensions rise ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Tinubu said Atiku used public resources to advance private interests while holding public office. He told supporters to ask the former vice-president how he was able to build the university, arguing that the money and effort involved belonged to Nigerians.
“Ask him how he built the university, while he was in office as vice president in charge of our economy. Who built the university for you? It’s your money. It’s your effort,” Tinubu said. He also accused Atiku of lacking moral integrity, rectitude, and ethical fitness for public office.
The President’s comments came as he campaigned for a second term in the January 16, 2027 presidential election. He urged Rivers State residents to renew the mandate they gave him and Vice-President Kashim Shettima in 2023.
Tinubu also criticised opposition politicians who have blamed his administration for economic hardship and rising living costs. He said those making the accusations helped create the problems they now complain about, naming Atiku among them.
At a rally held at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Tinubu praised Rivers Governor Siminalayi Fubara for maintaining peace during the state’s recent political crisis. He said Fubara had shown maturity, respect for elders, and commitment to democracy, adding that the governor would not regret supporting him.
The President also commended FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, describing him as a dependable partner and hardworking development ally. He thanked Rivers people for backing him in 2023, when he said his political prospects appeared uncertain, and asked for their support again in 2027.
On the economy, Tinubu defended his administration’s record, saying it inherited a situation in which 27 of 36 states could not pay salaries. He claimed that his government had reversed the trend and was moving the country toward prosperity.
Vice-President Shettima also attacked Peter Obi, the Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential candidate, accusing him of trying to gain political relevance through philosophical arguments. He said critics were attempting to demonise Tinubu rather than recognise his achievements.
Fubara promised Rivers State would deliver three million votes for Tinubu in 2027. APC Presidential Campaign Council Director-General Abdulaziz Yari set a target of at least 2.3 million votes for the President in the state, citing its 3.3 million registered voters and 2.8 million collected Permanent Voter Cards.
Wike said Rivers residents had decided to back Tinubu’s re-election, citing 47 federal appointments for Rivers indigenes and projects including the Bonny-Bodo Road. Senate President Godswill Akpabio, APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda, Senator Magnus Abe, and fo