Keyamo slams Atiku over Nigeria Airways collapse

Minister for Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo. Credit: Festus Keyamo / X

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has accused the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, Atiku Abubakar, of hypocrisy over his comments on the state of the country, citing the liquidation of Nigeria Airways and the unpaid entitlements of its former workers.

Keyamo stated this in a post shared on his X handle on Wednesday, stating that the administration in which Atiku served as vice-president liquidated the national carrier in September 2004, leaving thousands of workers jobless and without their pensions and gratuities.

“Your Excellency, Atiku Abubakar, this is hypocrisy at its peak! Let me just talk only about the sector that I head, Aviation,” the minister wrote.

The minister claimed that the former workers were left to struggle for their entitlements, which he said amounted to billions of naira.

Keyamo said President Bola Tinubu had approved and released N36bn to settle outstanding payments owed to the former Nigeria Airways workers, adding that beneficiaries had started receiving payment alerts.

“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 stated.

“Over a month ago, Mr President approved and released the total sum of N36bn to bring succour to these 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 added.

The minister accused the former Vice President of attempting to mislead younger Nigerians who might be unfamiliar with the history of the defunct national carrier.

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“Yet you sit down there and pontificate? It’s only the younger ones who don’t know your history you can attempt to hoodwink, but we will expose you to them,” he wrote.

Keyamo further accused the former vice-president of taking credit for decisions made by the administration he served in when politically convenient, while distancing himself from responsibility 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 said.

PUNCH Online earlier reprorted that Atiku had criticised the rising cost of living and insecurity in Nigeria, promising to make life affordable and restore security if given the opportunity to lead the country.

Atiku made the pledge in a post on his official X account on Wednesday, where he urged registered voters to collect their Permanent Voter Cards ahead of the next general election.