President Bola Tinubu has accused former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of leaving behind unpaid pension liabilities during the privatization of government-owned enterprises under the Olusegun Obasanjo administration, saying his government is now working to resolve the issue.
Tinubu made the remarks at the Presidential Villa in Abuja while receiving a delegation of North-East stakeholders who visited to thank him for renominating Vice President Kashim Shettima as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election. During his address, the President said Nigerians were primarily seeking stability and improved social welfare, pointing to pension payments as one of his administration’s priorities.
Referring indirectly to Atiku, who chaired the National Council on Privatization during the Obasanjo administration, Tinubu said a previous privatization exercise failed to settle pension obligations owed to workers.
“Somebody among my prospective opponents privatized government investment in public entities but forgot to pay the pension. I’m clearing the pensioners now, clearing the mess they created,” the President said.
Although Tinubu did not mention Atiku by name, the comments were widely interpreted as a reference to the former vice president, who oversaw Nigeria’s privatization program between 1999 and 2007.
The latest exchange further intensifies the long-running political rivalry between the two men ahead of the 2027 general election. In recent days, the Presidency criticized Atiku over his lobbying efforts in the United States regarding Tinubu’s decades-old civil forfeiture case, while Atiku has continued to question the President’s past and governance record. Neither Tinubu nor Atiku has been convicted of any criminal offence in relation to the allegations they have exchanged.
Tinubu’s remarks come as his administration continues to present economic reforms and pension payments as evidence of efforts to improve social welfare amid ongoing economic challenges. The President told the visiting delegation that restoring stability and addressing the needs of ordinary Nigerians remain central to his government’s agenda.
The Presidency and the opposition are expected to continue trading accusations as political activity ahead of the 2027 elections gathers momentum.
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