Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has dismissed claims that he enriched himself while serving in government, insisting that his wealth predated his entry into politics.
Speaking on his legacy and business background, Atiku said he never promised Nigerians a utopia but always emphasized measurable progress under his leadership.
“I’m not a messiah. I do not promise Eldorado or $1 = N1. But I always ask to look at the economic progress we made under my leadership and what I am doing in private business and judge me by those,” he stated.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stalwart explained that contrary to allegations, he declared millions of dollars in assets in 1999 before assuming public office. According to him, his investments—placed in a Blind Trust while in government—continued to flourish, further cementing his financial independence.
“People say I became rich in government. It’s a lie. I had millions of dollars in assets declared in 1999. My businesses, my shares of which were held in a Blind Trust while I was in government, continued to grow since then,” Atiku noted.
Highlighting his influence within the PDP, he recalled personally bankrolling the party in its early days. “I was able to personally bankroll the PDP back then, so surely I was not poor,” he added.
While acknowledging that politics naturally comes with name-calling and accusations, Atiku stressed that no concrete evidence has ever been brought forward against him.
“But I understand it is politics. So it’s normal to be called names. But how come in all these years, none of my opponents has found any evidence to indict me?” he queried.
