By Ihechi Enyinnaya
President Bola Tinubu has criticised former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, questioning his moral integrity and suitability for public office over the establishment of his private university while serving in government.
Tinubu made the remarks on Saturday during the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign rally in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where he defended his administration’s economic policies and efforts to address Nigeria’s economic challenges.
Responding to criticisms over hunger and the rising cost of living, the President blamed previous administrations for the country’s economic difficulties, insisting that his government was working to correct problems inherited from its predecessors.
“When those people talk about hunger, remember that I am cleaning up the mess they created. Atiku was one of them,” Tinubu said.
The President specifically questioned how Atiku financed the establishment of his private university while serving as Vice President and overseeing the nation’s economy.
“Who funded the university for him? It was your money, your effort! A man without moral integrity, latitude, and ethics has no business holding public office,” he added.
Tinubu also accused previous administrations of leaving behind huge outstanding pension and gratuity obligations, saying his government was making efforts to clear the backlog and ensure retired workers received their entitlements.
According to him, the unpaid obligations ran into billions and trillions of naira, leaving many retired workers and their families struggling to access their benefits.
“The people who governed before us left unpaid pensions and gratuities running into billions and trillions of Naira. We are clearing that backlog so that every family is included and we can share in the prosperity,” he said.
He listed retired engineers, welders and teachers among those benefiting from the government’s pension payments, claiming that pensioners were now receiving their entitlements promptly.
The President’s remarks formed part of his address at the Rivers State rally, where he appealed to voters to support his re-election bid in the 2027 general elections.