The Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, SAN, has criticised former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar over his feedback on Nigeria’s financial hardship and lack of confidence, accusing him of hypocrisy and pronouncing simplest younger Nigerians unfamiliar along with his political historical past might be misled through his claims.
Keyamo made the remarks in a submit on his X account on Wednesday whilst responding to Atiku’s grievance of President Bola Tinubu’s management.
The minister cited the liquidation of Nigeria Airlines in September 2004 and the alleged failure to pay the pensions and gratuities of its former staff, arguing that Atiku must additionally account for the selections taken all through his tenure as vice-president below former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Keyamo claimed that the Tinubu management had authorized and launched N36 billion to settle exceptional entitlements owed to the airline’s former staff.
In keeping with him, some beneficiaries had begun receiving cost notifications, whilst the employees’ union had stated Tinubu’s intervention.
He described Atiku’s grievance of the present management over financial hardship as hypocritical, arguing that the previous vice-president had failed to deal with problems coming up from choices taken all through the Obasanjo management.
“It’s simplest the more youthful ones who don’t know your historical past you’ll try to hoodwink, however we will be able to divulge you to them,” Keyamo wrote.
The minister additionally accused Atiku of taking credit score for the achievements of the Obasanjo management when handy whilst distancing himself from its choices at different instances.
“When it’s handy for you, you declare some credit score of the Obasanjo-Atiku executive and when now not handy, you are saying Obasanjo was once in price and now not you as Vice-President,” he stated.
Keyamo’s remarks adopted Atiku’s appeal to Nigerians over the emerging price of residing and irritating lack of confidence, with the previous vice-president expressing worry concerning the difficulties going through families around the nation.
Atiku stated many households have been suffering to come up with the money for meals, healthcare, transportation and different elementary prerequisites, whilst pensioners, younger staff and oldsters persisted to stand financial pressures.
He additionally highlighted the worry confronting households amid stories of kidnappings and assaults, caution in opposition to permitting the present stipulations to change into the truth inherited through the following era.
The previous vice-president maintained that no Nigerian circle of relatives must must deal with starvation and lack of confidence concurrently.
He steered registered citizens to assemble their Everlasting Voter Playing cards (PVCs), describing them as tools wherein Nigerians may peacefully call for political trade.
“Bola made existence pricey. I will be able to paintings to make existence inexpensive once more and repair the safety each and every Nigerian merits,” he stated.
Atiku also known as on Nigerians throughout generations to give a boost to his imaginative and prescient of a rustic the place households may reside with dignity, protection and hope.
The change comes amid rising political mobilisation forward of the 2027 basic elections, with political leaders increasingly more the use of public statements and social media platforms to criticise fighters and advertise their political positions.
The confrontation highlights the rising contest between the Tinubu management and opposition figures over duty for Nigeria’s financial demanding situations, lack of confidence and the insurance policies had to beef up residing stipulations.
Whilst Atiku has referred to as for adjustments to deal with the hardship going through Nigerians, Keyamo has challenged the previous vice-president to account for the file of the management through which he served.
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