Meet Atiku Abubakar the former vice president of Nigeria from 1999 to 2007, former governor of Adamawa State in 1998, a business mogul and he is also a retired custom officer.

Atiku started his business career as a tax official in the Nigerian Customs Service. In 1981, he ventured into the private sector and established a logistics and oil services company called Integrated Logistics Services (INTELS).

Today, INTELS is one of the largest logistics companies in Nigeria, providing support services to the country’s oil and gas industry.

Abubakar Atiku Biography

Abubakar Atiku was born on November 25, 1946, in Jada, a small town in Adamawa State, Nigeria. He was born into a Muslim family, and his parents were Garba Atiku and Aisha Kande.

Atiku’s father was a farmer and trader who died when Atiku was just 11 years old. After his father’s death, Atiku took on odd jobs to help support his family.

Atiku Abubakar Family Background

Atiku Abubakar, a prominent Nigerian politician, was born on November 25, 1946 in Jada, a village in what was then the British Cameroons. His father, Garba Abubakar, was a Fulani trader and farmer, and his mother was named Aisha Kande.

Atiku was named after his paternal grandfather, Atiku Abdulqadir, who hailed from Wurno in Sokoto State and migrated to Kojoli village in Jada, Adamawa State. His maternal grandfather, Inuwa Dutse, migrated from Dutse in Jigawa State to Jada.

Atiku became the only child of his parents when his sister died in infancy. In 1957, his father tragically drowned while crossing a river to Toungo, a neighboring village to Jada. To summarize, Atiku Abubakar was born in Jada, Nigeria, in 1946 to a Fulani trader and farmer father and a mother named Aisha Kande.

He was named after his paternal grandfather and became the only child of his parents when his sister died in infancy. His father died tragically in 1957 while crossing a river to a neighboring village.

Atiku Wifes | Children

Atiku Abubakar is a Nigerian politician and businessman who has been married four times and has a total of 28 children. He says that he wanted to expand his family because he felt lonely as a child and didn’t want his own children to feel the same way.

He views his wives as his sisters, friends, and advisors, and believes that they complement each other. Abubakar’s first marriage was a secret one in 1971 to Titilayo Albert because her family was initially opposed to the union.

They have four children together. In 1979, he married Ladi Yakubu as his second wife and they have six children. He later divorced Ladi, which allowed him to marry his fourth wife, Jennifer Iwenjiora Douglas.

In 1983, he married his third wife, Princess Rukaiyatu, and they have seven children together. In 1986, he married his fourth wife, Fatima Shettima, and they have six children.

Recently, Jennifer Douglas confirmed that she had divorced Abubakar due to disagreements over her continued stay in the United Kingdom, among other issues. ((Legits))

In summary, Abubakar has been married four times and has 28 children. He believes in expanding his family and views his wives as important parts of his life. However, his most recent marriage has ended in divorce due to various issues.

Early Education

Atiku attended Jada Primary School and later went to Adamawa Provincial Secondary School in Yola. After completing his secondary education, he attended the Nigerian Police College in Kaduna and was later deployed to the Nigerian Customs Service.

Educational Background

He grew up in a family that did not support Western education, and his father initially prevented him from attending school.

At the age of eight, he enrolled in Jada Primary School and later attended Adamawa Provincial Secondary School, where he graduated in 1965.

After secondary school, Atiku briefly studied at the Nigeria Police College in Kaduna but left due to a lack of O-Level Mathematics results.

He then worked as a Tax Officer in the Regional Ministry of Finance before gaining admission to the School of Hygiene in Kano, where he served as the Interim Student Union President and earned a diploma in 1967.

He went on to study for a Law Diploma at Ahmadu Bello University Institute of Administration, graduating in 1969.

During the Nigerian Civil War, he worked for the Nigeria Customs Service. In 2021, he completed a master’s degree in international relations at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, United Kingdom.

Atiku Business Career

Abubakar is a prominent Nigerian businessman and politician who worked for the Nigeria Customs Service for twenty years. During his time there, he rose to become the Deputy Director, retiring in 1989 to pursue full-time business and politics.

Abubakar began his business career in real estate, starting with a 31,000-naira loan to build his first house in Yola, which he rented out. He continued building and acquiring property in the area, while also branching out into agriculture and trading.

His first agricultural venture, a maize and cotton farm, ultimately failed in the 1980s. However, Abubakar’s biggest business move came when he was working at the Apapa Ports as a Customs Officer.

An Italian businessman named Gabrielle Volpi invited him to set up Nigeria Container Services (NICOTES), a logistics company operating within the Ports. This business eventually became Intels Nigeria Limited, providing substantial wealth to Abubakar.

He also has other business interests, such as Adama Beverages Limited, a beverage manufacturing plant, an animal feed factory, and the American University of Nigeria (AUN), the first American-style private university established in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Despite his success in business, Abubakar has faced accusations of conflict of interest for his involvement in business while serving as a civil servant with supervisory authority.

He has defended himself by saying his involvement was limited to owning shares, which was permitted under government rules, and that he was not involved in the day-to-day running of the business.

However, his company, NICOTES, was later rebranded as INTELS and was at the center of accusations of money laundering against Abubakar during his tenure as Vice President.

Atiku Career in Politics

Atiku’s political career began in 1989 when he was elected governor of Adamawa State. He was later elected Vice President of Nigeria in 1999, serving under President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Atiku ran for the presidency of Nigeria in 2007 but was unsuccessful. He later joined the All-Progressives Congress (APC) in 2014 but left the party in 2017 to rejoin the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

This section discusses the political journey of Atiku Abubakar, a Nigerian politician. In the 1980s, he worked on the governorship campaign of Bamanga Tukur and was drawn into political meetings by General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, leading to the formation of the People’s Front of Nigeria.

In 1989, Abubakar was elected as the National Vice-Chairman of the Peoples Front of Nigeria and won a seat to represent his constituency at the 1989 Constituent Assembly. However, the People’s Front was eventually denied registration and merged with the government-created Social Democratic Party.

In 1990, Abubakar announced his gubernatorial bid in Gongola State but was later disqualified from contesting the elections. He also contested the SDP presidential primaries in 1993 but withdrew from the campaign to support Moshood Abiola, who promised to make him his running mate.

Abubakar later joined the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in 1998 and won the governorship election in Adamawa State, but before he could be sworn in, he became the running mate of General Olusegun Obasanjo in the 1999 presidential election. ((Wikipedia))

In simpler terms, this section talks about Atiku Abubakar’s involvement in Nigerian politics, including his work on political campaigns, election bids, and affiliations with various political parties. It also highlights his role as the running mate of General Olusegun Obasanjo in the 1999 presidential election.

Controversies

Atiku’s political career has been marred by several controversies. In 2005, he was accused of corruption by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and was investigated for allegedly diverting public funds while serving as Vice President.

Atiku denied the allegations, and the case was eventually dropped. He has also faced criticism for his business dealings and alleged involvement in money laundering.

Awards and Recognitions

In 2003, Atiku was awarded the Nigerian National Honour of the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON).

In 2007, he was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Science by the Federal University of Technology, Yola, in recognition of his contributions to national development.

Atiku Abubakar was made Turaki of Adamawa in 1982 by Alhaji Aliyu Mustafa, the traditional ruler of Adamawa. In 2011, the National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) honoured him with the Harris Wofford Global Citizen Award during the 50th anniversary of the US Peace Corps.

In June 2017, he was awarded the chieftaincy title of the Waziri of Adamawa, and his Turaki title was passed down to his son, Aliyu. In summary, Atiku Abubakar has been recognized for his contributions to global citizenship and traditional leadership in Adamawa.

He was made Turaki of Adamawa in 1982 and later awarded the chieftaincy title of Waziri of Adamawa. The passing down of his Turaki title to his son reflects his continued influence in traditional leadership in the region. ((Nigeriagalleria))

In Conclusion

Abubakar Atiku is a successful businessman and politician who has made significant contributions to Nigeria’s economy and political landscape.

While his career has been marked by controversy and allegations of corruption, he has also been recognized for his achievements and contributions to national development.

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