Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has defended his decision to establish the American University of Nigeria (AUN) in Yola, Adamawa State.
Atiku said the university was founded primarily to invest in education and development in the North, rather than to make personal profit.
He made the statement on Friday, September 4, 2026, in a post on X while responding to a user who questioned his efforts to tackle the problem of children begging on Nigerian streets.
Atiku said the plight of children living and begging on the streets should concern every Nigerian.
He cited AUN as one of his efforts to expand access to quality education and create opportunities for young people in the region.
Why I Chose Yola — Atiku
Atiku said his decision to locate the university in Yola was deliberate.
He argued that if profit was his main objective, he would have established the institution in commercially stronger cities such as Lagos or Abuja.
Instead, he said he chose Yola to invest in his people and bring quality education closer to communities facing development and educational challenges.
‘AUN Is No Longer My Personal Property’
The former vice president also addressed claims that AUN remains his personal or family property.
According to him, he signed a deed of gift transferring ownership of the institution to the community.
He stressed that the university now belongs to the community it was established to serve.
Atiku Highlights Almajiri Programmes
Atiku also highlighted AUN’s Feed and Read programme, which provides vulnerable Almajiri children with daily meals while teaching them literacy and numeracy.
He further mentioned the university’s Technology-Enhanced Learning for All initiative.
According to him, the programme has helped more than 20,000 internally displaced children learn to read through educational radio programmes.
AUN’s Support for Chibok Girls
Atiku recalled AUN’s intervention following the abduction of Chibok schoolgirls in 2014.
He said the university offered scholarships to young women who escaped Boko Haram captivity.
Reports at the time indicated that 15 of the girls who escaped were offered scholarships at AUN.
‘Every Child Belongs in a Classroom’
Atiku maintained that education must remain central to efforts to tackle the challenges facing vulnerable children.
He said children should be in classrooms rather than on the streets begging.
The ADC presidential candidate added that his commitment to expanding educational opportunities had continued both during his time in government and after leaving office.
His comments come as he continues to campaign ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with poverty, education and the rising cost of living among the major issues dominating the political debate.
