Atiku Abubakar has been part of almost every chapter of Nigeria’s Fourth Republic — Vice President for eight years, founder of a university, and a presidential contender in nearly every election since 1993. In 2027 he is running again, this time on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Quick facts
| Full name | Atiku Abubakar |
|---|---|
| Born | 25 November 1946, Jada, Adamawa State |
| Former office | Vice President of Nigeria (1999–2007) |
| Party | African Democratic Congress (ADC), since 2025 |
| Education | Diploma in Law, Ahmadu Bello University Institute of Administration (1969); MA International Relations, Anglia Ruskin University (2021) |
| Career | Nigeria Customs Service (1969–1989), retired as Deputy Director; businessman |
| Known for | Founding the American University of Nigeria, Yola (2005) |
| Titles | Turaki and Waziri of Adamawa; GCON |
| 2027 | ADC presidential candidate, with Rotimi Amaechi as running mate |
Early life
Atiku was born in Jada, in what is now Adamawa State. His father, a trader and farmer, died when Atiku was a child, and he was raised largely by his mother. He went to Jada Primary School and Adamawa Provincial Secondary School, then trained at the School of Hygiene in Kano before earning a diploma in law from the Institute of Administration at Ahmadu Bello University in 1969. Decades later, in 2021, he completed a master’s degree in international relations in the UK.
Customs career and business
He joined the Nigeria Customs Service in 1969 and spent about 20 years there, rising to Deputy Director before retiring in 1989. Alongside public service he built businesses — real estate in Yola, trading, and most notably the logistics company that became Intels, which provides services at Nigerian ports and oil facilities. He also owns a beverage plant and an animal feed factory in Yola.
In 2005 he founded the American University of Nigeria in Yola, one of the country’s best-known private universities. Supporters see him as a job creator and a believer in private enterprise; critics have questioned the links between his business and political careers, allegations he has always rejected.
Political journey
Atiku entered politics through the People’s Front, the movement led by the late General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, and contested the SDP presidential primary in 1993, which was won by M.K.O. Abiola. In 1998 he was elected governor of Adamawa State, but before he could be sworn in, Olusegun Obasanjo picked him as his running mate. They won, and Atiku served as Vice President from 1999 to 2007.
His relationship with Obasanjo broke down in the second term, especially over the “third term” debate. He left the PDP and ran for president in 2007 on the Action Congress platform, finishing third.
Six presidential runs
- 1993 — SDP primary (lost to Abiola)
- 2007 — Action Congress candidate (third)
- 2011 — PDP primary (lost to Goodluck Jonathan)
- 2015 — APC primary (lost to Muhammadu Buhari)
- 2019 — PDP candidate (lost to Buhari)
- 2023 — PDP candidate (second, with 6,984,520 votes, behind Tinubu)
The coalition and the ADC
After the 2023 loss, Atiku worked with other opposition figures to build a coalition against the ruling APC. In July 2025 the coalition adopted the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as its platform, and Atiku left the PDP. Peter Obi joined the ADC at the end of 2025 but left in May 2026 for the Nigeria Democratic Congress.
On 25 May 2026 Atiku won the ADC presidential primary, defeating Rotimi Amaechi and Mohammed Hayatu-Deen. In June 2026 the party named Amaechi, former governor of Rivers State, as his running mate. His campaign council, unveiled in September 2026, includes figures such as Dele Momodu, Dino Melaye and John Odigie-Oyegun.
