Tinubu Blasts Atiku Over ‘Privatization Mess,’ says Government Is Clearing Unpaid Pensions Amid Fresh Political Clash

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has accused former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of leaving behind a legacy of unpaid pensions following the privatization of public enterprises during the Olusegun Obasanjo administration, declaring that his government is now clearing the backlog owed to affected pensioners.

Tinubu made the remarks on Thursday, July 23, 2026, during a thank-you visit by Northeast governors, ministers, lawmakers, traditional rulers, political stakeholders, and community leaders at the State House in Abuja.

The delegation, led by Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum, visited the President to express appreciation for his decision to renominate Vice President Kashim Shettima as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election and to formally endorse the Tinubu-Shettima ticket.

Addressing the gathering, which included pensioners, Tinubu said Nigerians desired stability and improved social welfare, adding that his administration was working to resolve inherited pension liabilities.

“Nigerians are not asking for too much. Simple stability and social welfare… I hope you’re receiving your pension. If I can go political, somebody among my prospective opponents privatized government investment in public entities but forgot to pay the pensions. I’m clearing the pensioners now, so clearing the mess they created,” the President said.

Although Tinubu did not mention Atiku by name, his comments were widely interpreted as a reference to the former vice president, who served between 1999 and 2007 and played a leading role in the economic team that implemented Nigeria’s privatization programme under former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

The privatization exercise has remained a subject of political debate for years, with critics alleging that several state-owned enterprises were sold below market value, resulting in job losses, unpaid salaries, and pension obligations in some privatized companies. Atiku and his supporters have consistently defended the reforms as necessary economic restructuring.

The political exchanges intensified further after the Presidency reacted to reports that Atiku had engaged a Washington-based lobbying firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C., under a reported 12-month contract valued at approximately $1.2 million.

According to reports, the lobbying firm has circulated U.S. Department of Justice documents relating to Tinubu’s 1993 civil forfeiture case, in which approximately $460,000 was forfeited to U.S. authorities in a civil proceeding involving funds alleged to be connected to narcotics proceeds. Tinubu has consistently denied any wrongdoing and has never been criminally convicted in connection with the matter.

Responding to the reports, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, accused Atiku of attempting to internationalize Nigeria’s domestic political contest, describing the reported lobbying effort as inappropriate and contrary to national interest.

Onanuga also challenged Atiku to address allegations surrounding his own U.S.-related history, referencing past reports linking his name to investigations connected with former U.S. Congressman William Jefferson’s corruption case and a 2010 U.S. Senate inquiry into suspicious financial transactions involving offshore entities. Atiku has repeatedly denied wrongdoing in relation to such allegations.

The presidential aide further described the privatization programme implemented during the Obasanjo administration as an “egregious privatisation heist,” alleging that valuable national assets were transferred to politically connected individuals at undervalued prices, leaving behind unpaid salaries and pensions.

According to Onanuga, the consequences of those policies continue to affect many retired workers, while he argued that the Tinubu administration is now addressing those outstanding obligations.

The latest exchange marks another escalation in the growing political rivalry ahead of the 2027 general elections, where Atiku is expected to contest as the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

The developments also come amid controversy surrounding a July 6, 2026 letter attributed to U.S. President Donald Trump, which praised Tinubu’s efforts in combating terrorism and violence against Christian communities in Nigeria. While the Presidency released the text of the letter, opposition figures have questioned its authenticity and interpretation.

As political campaigns begin to gather momentum, both camps continue to exchange accusations over governance, economic reforms, corruption, and Nigeria’s international image.

The Tinubu administration insists it remains focused on implementing economic reforms, improving national security, and settling inherited liabilities, including pension arrears. Meanwhile, Atiku’s camp had not issued a detailed response to the President’s latest comments on privatization and unpaid pensions at the time of filing this report.

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