Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has opened up about how he made his money, stating that his wealth came from years of business activities before he entered politics.
Speaking during an interview on Arise News on Wednesday, Atiku explained that he built his fortune through investments across different sectors, including logistics, real estate, agriculture and education.
PrimeTimes Nigeria reports that he said he was already deeply involved in business long before joining politics and had interests in oil and gas as well as other parts of the economy.
The former presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party also said his financial history has always been clear, noting that he has not faced corruption allegations because of how his wealth was earned.
Atiku further spoke about his early role in the formation of the party, saying he played a major part in setting it up and also contributed financially to its establishment.
He recalled that during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, a panel was set up to investigate him. According to Atiku, the panel included key figures such as Nasir El-Rufai and Nuhu Ribadu. He said he allowed the investigation to go ahead without using his immunity at the time.
He said: “I made my money through business before joining politics. I invested in oil and gas, logistics, agriculture and other sectors.
“I was already established in business before I became involved in politics.
“I played a major role in setting up the PDP and also contributed financially to its formation.
“No one accused me of corruption at that time because my sources of income were clear.
“A panel was set up to investigate me, and I allowed it to go ahead without hiding behind immunity.
“That panel included people like El-Rufai and Nuhu Ribadu.”
Atiku, who remains active in Nigeria’s political space, is among those seeking the presidential ticket of the African Democratic Congress ahead of the 2027 general election.