Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has launched a fresh attack on former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar over his criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, accusing the opposition figure of being bitter about Tinubu’s emergence as president.
In a statement released on Friday, Keyamo described Atiku as a “pained and very bitter fellow”, arguing that his recent comments about the president were driven by disappointment over his own unsuccessful attempts to occupy the highest political office in the country.
The minister’s reaction followed Atiku’s latest criticism of the Federal Government’s handling of petrol subsidy removal and its introduction of a 30-day petrol discount at Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited stations.
Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), had described the temporary discount as a “panic-driven publicity stunt”.
Atiku Accuses Tinubu of Copying His Petrol Subsidy Proposal
Speaking at the inauguration of the ADC presidential campaign council in Abuja on Friday, Atiku accused Tinubu of copying his proposal for a production-based petrol subsidy without implementing the measures he believes would make the policy effective.
Addressing the president by his first name, Bola, the former vice-president compared the administration’s approach to a student copying another student’s examination answers without understanding them.
“Bola, you are like a dull student who copied his classmate’s answer. You have done it so blindly that the classmate’s name is at the top of his exam paper, and then you demanded marks for original thinking,” Atiku said.
He maintained that Tinubu had adopted his production subsidy proposal but failed to include what he considered the essential components.
“You copied my production subsidy proposal, nothing wrong about that. You stripped away the part that makes it work and handed Nigerians a 30-day discount. Where is the rest of the answer, Bola? You see why it is good to go to school,” he added.
Atiku has repeatedly criticised the administration’s economic policies in recent weeks, particularly its management of the benefits and consequences of petrol subsidy removal.
Keyamo Accuses Atiku of Political Bitterness
Responding to the former vice-president’s remarks, Keyamo argued that Atiku’s frustration stemmed from Tinubu’s eventual success in becoming president despite their longstanding political rivalry.
“It is now very obvious that Atiku Abubakar is a pained and very bitter fellow,” Keyamo stated.
He claimed that Atiku was struggling to accept the fact that Tinubu had secured the presidency after years of political ambition.
“The pain and bitterness stems from the fact that he feels President Bola Ahmed Tinubu finally outsmarted him politically to get the most coveted position of President and he can’t mentally deal with this fact,” the minister said.
Keyamo also characterised Atiku’s recent criticism of Tinubu as “a higher form of depression in the field of mental health called agitated depression”.
The minister’s comments introduced a personal dimension to the ongoing political disagreement, shifting attention from the debate over petrol pricing to the rivalry between the two political figures.
Keyamo Reflects on Their Long Political Rivalry
The aviation minister noted that both Atiku and Tinubu had pursued the presidency since leaving their respective offices as vice-president and Lagos State governor in 2007.
According to Keyamo, Tinubu eventually secured the presidency through a combination of “fate, luck, divine interventions and political dexterity”.
He argued that Tinubu’s victory was the source of Atiku’s alleged “pain, anger, despair and depression”.
To reinforce his argument, Keyamo referenced Ecclesiastes 9:11 in the Bible, suggesting that political success does not depend entirely on an individual’s strength, ability or personal efforts.
“Let me remind Atiku Abubakar that, despite all the invectives he has poured on the president of late, power is given only by God Almighty, not by man,” he said.
Keyamo Urges Atiku’s Associates to Intervene
Keyamo also criticised people around the former vice-president, arguing that they should not encourage his continued attacks on Tinubu.
Instead, he suggested that those close to Atiku should intervene and provide him with what he described as medical support.
The minister said Atiku’s associates should “actually administer anti-depressants on him”.
“Atiku Abubakar urgently needs mental health support at this critical time as he finally peters into political oblivion,” Keyamo added.
The exchange marks another escalation in the political confrontation between supporters of Tinubu’s administration and opposition figures ahead of the 2027 general election.
While Atiku continues to question the government’s economic decisions, Keyamo has responded by challenging the former vice-president’s motives and portraying his criticism as a reaction to his longstanding failure to become president.
