Atiku@70: 7 achievements of the former VP

Prior to his political position as the vice president in 1999, Atiku Abubakar won the 1998 governorship elections of Adamawa state under the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). But before Atiku could be sworn in as the governor, he was tapped by the PDP’s presidential candidate, Olusegun Obasanjo, to be his vice presidential candidate. The Obasanjo-Atiku ticket won them 62.78 percent of the vote. Although there had been controversies from the duo administration, here are 7 of his achievements as ex-vice president of Nigeria as he clocks 70 years old today November 25, 2016. He presided over the National Council on Privatization

After Atiku was sworn into ofice as the vice president of Nigeria on 29 May 1999, he took up the responsibility of overseeing the sale of hundreds of loss making and poorly managed public enterprises in the country. 2. Atiku launched the South Africa Nigeria Bi-national Commission.

Atiku Abubakar with Jacob Zuma He, alongside South African deputy president Jacob Zuma in 1991 launched the South Africa Nigeria Binational Commission. 3. He opposed the constitution amendment for third consecutive term for presidency

In 2006, Atiku was involved in a bitter public battle with Olusegun Obasanjo, over his wish to amend the provisions of the constitution to run for presidency third term consecutively. Which the Nigerian National Assembly eventually voted against any amendments allowing Obasanjo to run for another term. 4. Atiku believes that education should be a priority

The American University of Nigeria (AUN) is a private university in northeastern of Nigeria. It was founded in 2004 by Atiku Abubakar, the former vice president. The school is the only American style university in Sub-Saharan Africa. In the same vein to foster the education in Nigeria, he introduced the Atiku Abubakar special scholarship offer which is tenable in Nigeria and oversea. 5. He is a philanthropist interested in human capital development

Atiku believes that philanthropy is an investment which has multiplier effect. He sees development as “the effort to increase the productive capacity of a society, improve the people’s well being and expand the frontiers of freedom, while protecting the ecosystem for current and future generations. An individual’s success is deemed to be of limited social value if it does not lead to the success of others in the family, clan or community.’’ 6. He bagged a chieftaincy title

The former vice president has also been conferred with the chieftaincy title, Aare of Ire-Ekiti land in Ekiti state. 7. The Atiku Abubakar Foundation for the less privilege

The foundation which was founded earlier this year to represent and assist these less privileged persons who are helpless in other to survive through legitimate means.