Nigerian presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has sparked online debate after claiming he had led the country’s influential Economic Management Team (EMT) while serving as vice president between 1999 and 2007. Established in 2003 under then-president Olusegun Obasanjo, the EMT is considered a driving force in implementing major economic reforms. But although Abubakar was Obansanjo’s deputy at the time, AFP Fact Check found he did not steer the EMT. Its chief at the start was Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala who now heads the World Trade Organisation, followed in 2006 by then-finance minister Nenadi Usman. Abubakar, meanwhile, headed the National Economic Council (NEC) during his time in office.

“As head of the economic management team while I was Vice President, I was instrumental in designing a private sector revival strategy and advocated for the opening of the economy for private sector investments in several sectors. And we made tremendous progress (sic),” Abubakar said on his verified Twitter account on January 16, 2023.

The post has since been retweeted more than 300 times and drawn over 1,000 likes from his 4.7 million followers.

A screenshot showing the false tweet, taken on January 19, 2023

Abubakar’s media aide Paul Ibe echoed the claim on January 17, 2023.

“It is established history that @atiku as Chairman, National Economic Council headed the nation’s Economic Management Team between 1999-2007, during which Nigeria had some of her best economic growth,” Ibe said in a...

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