He Can’t Name His Teachers, Classmates – Atiku Taunts Tinubu

Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has mocked President Bola Tinubu over his inability to identify his former teachers and classmates as he celebrates this year’s World Teachers’ Day.

This was just as the former VP also condemned the rising cost of living, saying teachers across the country were struggling to provide for their families while continuing to perform their responsibilities in schools.

Atiku spoke in a statement issued on Monday by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, to commemorate teachers and acknowledge their contribution to the development of the country.

Atiku said he remained grateful to his teachers, recalling those who taught him during his early years in Jada.

“Of course, I appreciate Nigerian teachers. I am a product of their work and the education I received in their classrooms. I still remember the names and faces of my early teachers in Jada, who saw potential in a young orphan when few others did.

“They taught me arithmetic and grammar, but they also gave me a future,” he said.

However, Atiku used the occasion to question Tinubu’s ability to recall details about his own educational background.

“It is both revealing and deeply embarrassing that Bola Tinubu cannot name a single teacher who stood before him or a classmate who sat beside him,” he said.

According to Atiku, teachers play a fundamental role in shaping the future of every nation, arguing that a leader’s relationship with his educational history was important.

“A leader who cannot remember those who laid the foundation of his own education has shown just how far removed he is from the classroom and from the daily struggles of those who keep it alive,” Atiku said.

His comments come amid renewed scrutiny of questions surrounding Tinubu’s academic records.

The controversy has previously centred on aspects of the president’s educational history and records relating to his attendance at primary and secondary schools. Recall that Tinubu’s 2027 nomination forms submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission listed “0000” as the years of attendance for both his primary and secondary education. The names of those schools were also omitted.

Atiku, who focused his criticism primarily on the welfare of teachers, said they were being forced to cope with increasing expenses on food, transportation, rent and electricity while their incomes struggled to keep pace.

He said the government could not merely celebrate teachers on commemorative occasions while leaving them to deal with economic hardship throughout the year.

“Government cannot praise teachers on this day and leave them to face hardship for the rest of the year. A commemorative message cannot pay a teacher’s bills. Respect must be reflected in fair conditions, reliable support and policies that make life affordable,” he said.

The ADC presidential candidate also apologised to teachers and Nigerians on behalf of what he described as a leadership that had failed to make teachers’ welfare a priority.

He said teachers deserved more than public commendation, while Nigerians deserved a government that prioritised their livelihoods.

Atiku said his experience had given him an understanding of the commitment required of teachers.

He described teachers as builders of confidence, knowledge and opportunity, stressing that Nigeria could not secure its future while neglecting those responsible for educating its children.

“My promise is clear: I will work to make life affordable again. Teachers and families should not have to watch their incomes disappear on food, transport, rent and electricity,” he said.

He added that his administration would pursue policies aimed at reducing the cost of living, supporting decent jobs and ensuring that Nigerians could earn a dignified living from their work.