Atiku Abubakar

Atiku Abubakar
Born	11/25/1946
Birthplace	Jada, British Cameroon (now Jada, Adamawa State, Nigeria)
Nationality	Nigerian
Occupation	Politician, businessman
Title	11th Vice President of Nigeria
Known for	Vice President of Nigeria (1999–2007), multiple presidential candidacies
Website	https://atiku.org/

Atiku Abubakar is a Nigerian politician and businessman who served as the 11th Vice President of Nigeria from 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2007, under President Olusegun Obasanjo. Born on 25 November 1946 in the town of Jada in what was then British Cameroon — now part of Adamawa State in northeastern Nigeria — Abubakar rose from modest beginnings to become one of the most prominent and persistent figures in Nigerian politics. Over the course of more than three decades, he has sought the presidency of Nigeria six times, in 1993, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019, and 2023, making him one of the most frequent presidential contenders in the country's history. His political career has spanned multiple political parties, including the Social Democratic Party, the People's Democratic Party, the Action Congress, the All Progressives Congress, and, most recently, the African Democratic Congress. Outside of politics, Abubakar has been involved in business ventures, including agriculture and education. His career has been marked by both significant political influence and controversy, including legal disputes and allegations that he has consistently denied.

Early Life

Atiku Abubakar was born on 25 November 1946 in Jada, a town in what was then the British Cameroon trust territory, which later became part of Adamawa State in northeastern Nigeria following a 1961 plebiscite. He was raised in a Fulani family. According to biographical accounts, his father opposed Western education, a stance that Abubakar would eventually overcome in pursuing formal schooling.

Growing up in a rural part of northeastern Nigeria, Abubakar's early life was shaped by the socio-political realities of a region that was undergoing significant transformation as Nigeria moved toward and achieved independence in 1960. His origins in the Adamawa region would remain central to his political identity throughout his career, and he would later seek the governorship of Adamawa State before ascending to the vice presidency.

Career

Early Career and Customs Service

Before entering politics, Abubakar worked in the Nigerian Customs Service, where he built a career in public administration. His time in the Customs Service provided him with experience in government operations and also served as a foundation for his later business interests. He eventually rose to a senior position within the service before transitioning into private business and politics.

Business Ventures

Abubakar developed significant business interests over the course of his career. He has been involved in agriculture, among other sectors. In a personal narrative published on his official website, he described his involvement in agricultural enterprise, framing it as both a business pursuit and a contribution to Nigeria's economic development.

Abubakar also invested in education, establishing the American University of Nigeria in Yola, Adamawa State. The institution gained attention in 2014 when it offered scholarships to fifteen of the Chibok schoolgirls who had been kidnapped by Boko Haram, through its associated American University Academy.

Early Political Career and Gubernatorial Bids

Abubakar entered electoral politics in the late 1980s and early 1990s during Nigeria's transition programs under military rule. He ran for the office of Governor of Adamawa State in 1990 and again in 1996, but was unsuccessful on both occasions. He persisted in state-level politics and eventually won the gubernatorial election in 1998. However, before he could be sworn in as governor, he was selected as the running mate to Olusegun Obasanjo, a former military head of state who was running for the presidency under the People's Democratic Party (PDP).

1993 Presidential Primary

Abubakar's first attempt at the Nigerian presidency came during the 1993 presidential primaries of the Social Democratic Party (SDP). He contested for the party's nomination but lost to Moshood Abiola and Baba Gana Kingibe. The 1993 presidential election itself — won by Abiola — was subsequently annulled by the military government of General Ibrahim Babangida, plunging Nigeria into a political crisis.

Vice Presidency (1999–2007)

In the run-up to Nigeria's return to civilian rule in 1999, Abubakar was chosen as Olusegun Obasanjo's running mate on the PDP ticket. The Obasanjo-Abubakar ticket won the 1999 presidential election, and Abubakar was inaugurated as Vice President on 29 May 1999, succeeding Mike Akhigbe, who had served as de facto vice president under the military regime of General Abdulsalami Abubakar.

The Obasanjo-Abubakar administration was re-elected in the 2003 presidential election, securing a second term that would run until 2007. During the eight-year period of the administration, Abubakar served in various capacities as vice president, including chairing several government committees and councils.

However, the relationship between Obasanjo and Abubakar deteriorated significantly during their second term. Their political disagreements became public, and by the mid-2000s, the two men were engaged in an open rift. The conflict intensified when Obasanjo attempted to secure a third-term amendment to the Nigerian constitution, an effort that Abubakar opposed. The political fallout led to legal proceedings when the federal government sought to remove Abubakar from office, arguing that he had defected from the PDP by joining the Action Congress. The matter reached the Nigerian courts, and in a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court of Nigeria determined that the Vice President could not be removed from office on the grounds alleged by the government.

Abubakar completed his tenure as Vice President on 29 May 2007, and was succeeded by Goodluck Jonathan, who became vice president under President Umaru Yar'Adua.

2007 Presidential Election

Having broken with Obasanjo and the PDP, Abubakar contested the 2007 presidential election as the candidate of the Action Congress (AC). In the election held on 21 April 2007, he finished in third place behind Umaru Yar'Adua of the PDP and Muhammadu Buhari of the All Nigeria People's Party (ANPP). The election was marked by widespread allegations of irregularities and was criticized by domestic and international observers.

2011 Presidential Primary

Abubakar returned to the People's Democratic Party and contested the party's presidential primary ahead of the 2011 presidential election. He lost the PDP nomination to incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan, who went on to win the general election.

2015 Presidential Primary

In 2014, Abubakar left the PDP to join the newly formed All Progressives Congress (APC), a merger of several opposition parties. He contested the APC presidential primary for the 2015 election but lost the nomination to Muhammadu Buhari, who subsequently defeated Jonathan in the general election to become president.

Return to PDP and 2019 Presidential Election

In November 2017, Abubakar left the APC and returned to the People's Democratic Party. He secured the PDP presidential nomination and ran against incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari in the February 2019 presidential election.

During the campaign, Abubakar travelled extensively across Nigeria, including a visit to Katsina State, where he also visited the Emir of Daura. The BBC profiled Abubakar during the election cycle, noting his long history in Nigerian politics and his business background.

Abubakar lost the 2019 election to Buhari and subsequently challenged the results in court, alleging electoral fraud. The presidential election tribunal and the Supreme Court upheld Buhari's victory.

2023 Presidential Election

In May 2022, Abubakar won the PDP presidential ticket for the 2023 general election, defeating Nyesom Wike, the former Governor of Rivers State, in the party's primary. The primary outcome created divisions within the PDP, as Wike and some of his allies expressed dissatisfaction with the process and the subsequent selection of a running mate.

In the general election held on 25 February 2023, Abubakar came in second place, losing to Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress. Following the announcement of results, Abubakar joined other opposition candidates in disputing the outcome and demanding a revote. He challenged the results in court through the election petition tribunal, but his challenge was ultimately unsuccessful.

Move to African Democratic Congress (2025)

In 2025, Abubakar left the PDP to join the African Democratic Congress (ADC), in a move that represented a significant realignment in Nigerian opposition politics. He was joined in this transition by Peter Obi, who had been the Labour Party's presidential candidate in the 2023 election and had finished third. The BBC reported that the two former rivals joined forces to present a united opposition front against the ruling APC ahead of the 2027 presidential elections.

The alliance between Abubakar and Obi was notable because the two had been competitors in the 2023 election, and the fragmentation of the opposition vote in that election was cited by analysts as a factor that contributed to Tinubu's victory. Reports in May 2025 indicated that both Abubakar and Obi denied at that time having struck a formal joint ticket deal for 2027, even as speculation about their political collaboration was widespread on social media.

Abubakar's eldest son, Adamu Abubakar, subsequently resigned from the PDP to follow his father to the ADC, as reported by multiple Nigerian media outlets in March 2026.

In October 2025, the Nigerian Presidency responded publicly to allegations made by Abubakar, describing his claims as "baseless and distracting." The exchange illustrated the continuing political rivalry between Abubakar and the ruling APC government.

Relationship with the United States

Abubakar's relationship with the United States has been a subject of political discussion in Nigeria. Premium Times reported in 2016 that the U.S. government declined to confirm or deny whether Abubakar was barred from or wanted in America, a matter that had been the subject of persistent media speculation and political controversy.

Political Party Affiliations

Abubakar's career has been characterized by frequent changes in party affiliation, reflecting the fluid nature of Nigerian party politics. His party affiliations have included:

• Social Democratic Party (SDP) — during the Third Republic era, up to 1993
• People's Democratic Party (PDP) — from the party's founding in the late 1990s through 2006
• Action Congress (AC) — from 2006 to approximately 2009
• People's Democratic Party (PDP) — upon his return in the early 2010s
• All Progressives Congress (APC) — from 2014 to 2017
• People's Democratic Party (PDP) — from November 2017 to 2025
• African Democratic Congress (ADC) — from 2025 to present

Personal Life

Abubakar holds the traditional title of Wazirin Adamawa, a chieftaincy title from the Adamawa Emirate in northeastern Nigeria. He has been conferred with the national honour of Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON), a distinction accorded to the Vice President of Nigeria.

He is known to maintain residences in several locations across Nigeria, including in Adamawa State and Abuja, the federal capital. His eldest son, Adamu Abubakar, has been involved in politics, having been a member of the PDP before joining the ADC alongside his father in 2025–2026.

Legacy

Atiku Abubakar's place in Nigerian political history is defined by his tenure as Vice President during the critical early years of Nigeria's Fourth Republic and by his persistent pursuit of the presidency across three decades. His six presidential bids — in 1993, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019, and 2023 — are among the most by any single candidate in Nigerian history.

His vice presidency from 1999 to 2007 coincided with a period of democratic consolidation in Nigeria following decades of military rule. The legal dispute between the Obasanjo administration and Abubakar over the latter's political defection produced a significant Supreme Court ruling on the constitutional rights and protections of the vice president, contributing to Nigerian constitutional jurisprudence.

His investment in education through the American University of Nigeria in Yola has been cited as a contribution to higher education development in northeastern Nigeria, a region that has faced significant challenges including the Boko Haram insurgency.

His 2025 alliance with Peter Obi under the African Democratic Congress represents his latest attempt to reshape the Nigerian opposition landscape. Whether this coalition will alter the dynamics of Nigerian presidential politics remains to be determined in the 2027 electoral cycle.