I’ll Devote 21% Of Budget To Education If Elected – Atiku

Eniola Olayemi

Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, has vowed to devote 21 per cent of the Federal Budget to education if elected president next year.

The Waziri Adamawa said this in response to the feat by Apple Inc which became the first private company in the world to be worth $1 trillion on August 2, 2018.

In an editorial opinion penned for publication in THISDAY newspapers, Abubakar, a businessman and avid educator, said knowledge was the main raw material for the founding, development and success of Apple Inc.

In the article, titled: “What Nigeria Can Learn From Apple’s Trillion Dollar Status,” Abubakar said: “I pledge that if I am chosen by my party, the Peoples Democratic Party, to be its Presidential candidate, and if I am subsequently elected President by Nigerians, I will go above and beyond the United Nations recommendations and ensure that a minimum of 21% of the Federal budget is devoted to education.“

The former Vice President is the founder of the American University of Nigeria, Yola and has built up the institution as Nigeria’s premier centre for the training of future knowledge workers.

Abubakar is the front-runner for the Peoples Democratic Party presidential ticket and was the first major politician to leave the ruling All Progressives Congress for the main opposition PDP.