The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has attacked former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar over his criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, accusing him of hypocrisy.
Keyamo recalled the liquidation of Nigeria Airways in 2004 when Atiku served under former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Keyamo’s outburst followed Atiku’s message to Nigerians on Wednesday, October 14, highlighting the rising cost of living, hunger, insecurity and the economic hardship confronting families across the country.
Atiku, in a video where he addressed Nigerians, had said Nigerians were struggling to afford basic necessities, with parents worried about feeding their children, pensioners forced to choose between food and medication, and young workers finding it increasingly difficult to cope with transport fares, rent and other expenses.
The former vice-president, who is currently the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), also raised concerns about kidnappings and attacks, urging registered voters to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and use them to demand political change in the 2027 general elections.
Responding to Atiku’s remarks, Keyamo accused the former vice-president of hypocrisy, arguing that his record in government should be considered alongside his criticism of the Tinubu administration.
For all breaking news and latest gist:
👉 JOIN GISTSMATE WHATSAPP CHANNELThe minister said he would focus on the aviation sector, which he currently heads, and challenged Atiku over the liquidation of Nigeria Airways during the Obasanjo administration.
“Your Excellency, Atiku Abubakar, this is hypocrisy at its peak! Let me just talk only about the sector that I head, Aviation,” Keyamo wrote.
He alleged that the government in which Atiku served as vice-president liquidated Nigeria Airways in September 2004, leaving thousands of workers unemployed and their families in distress.
“In September, 2004, when you were Vice-President, your Government woke up one morning and liquidated Nigeria Airways, throwing thousands of Nigerians out of jobs and into sorrow and pain,” the minister stated.
“To add salt into their wounds, you refused to pay them their pensions and gratuities, running into billions of Naira.”
Keyamo argued that the Tinubu administration was now addressing the outstanding entitlements of the former workers more than two decades after the airline’s liquidation.
“Twenty-two years later, after many of them have died out of frustration, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is now clearing the mess you left behind,” he wrote.
The minister claimed that Tinubu had approved and released ₦36 billion more than a month earlier to settle the outstanding payments and provide relief to affected families.
“They have started receiving alerts and praying for Mr. President. In fact, the President was given an Award for this by the workers’ union a few weeks ago,” Keyamo stated.
The minister used the alleged payment to challenge Atiku’s criticism of the current administration, questioning his record during his time in government.
“Yet you sit down there and pontificate?” Keyamo asked.
He also accused Atiku of attempting to mislead younger Nigerians who might not be familiar with the history of Nigeria Airways and the circumstances surrounding its liquidation.
“It’s only the younger ones who don’t know your history you can attempt to hoodwink, but we will expose you to them,” the minister wrote.
Keyamo further accused Atiku of disguising his political ambition with elaborate rhetoric.
“You cannot disguise your inordinate ambition in a cloud of rhetorical gibberish,” he stated.
Keyamo also challenged Atiku’s position on the record of the Obasanjo administration, accusing him of taking credit for the government’s achievements when convenient while distancing himself from its decisions at other times.
“When it is convenient for you, you claim some credit for the Obasanjo-Atiku government and when not convenient, you say Obasanjo was in charge and not you as Vice-President,” he wrote.
The minister described what he characterised as Atiku’s inconsistency as “the proper posturing of a con artist.”
The exchange comes amid intensifying political criticism ahead of the 2027 general elections, with the economy, rising living costs, insecurity and the records of political officeholders featuring prominently in the debate.
WARNING: If You Are Not 18+, Don’t Click The Link Below 👇🫣
https://nya5.com/link?z=11857196&var=
Did you want to monetize your website, join MONETAG or ADSKEEPER and start earning
Please don’t forget to “Allow the notification” so you will be the first to get our gist when we publish it.
Drop your comment in the section below, and don’t forget to share the post.
Never Miss A Single News Or Gist, Kindly Join Us On WhatsApp Channel:
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vad8g81Eawdsio6INn3B
Telegram Channel:
https://t.me/gistsmateNG