Keyamo’s Baseless Attack on Atiku

Notes for File

After three years of hiding his face in shame for serving what most Nigerians have come to describe as the worst government in the history of Nigeria, the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mr. Festus Keyamo, has suddenly found his voice. Keyamo has been rendered hopelessly redundant on account of the irrelevant portfolio he was given.

Still thinking that he is relevant, Keyamo in a series of tweets last Thursday, accused the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, of abandoning the fight for democracy represented in the June 12 election. He added that the only person who played a significant role was Senator Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“No presidential candidate today had anything to do with the June 12 struggle (which is the foundation of democracy we are enjoying today) except BAT and (to be honest) Sowore as a student leader, but BAT was more pivotal from exile. Atiku was one of the first to abandon June 12,” Keyamo wrote.

Keyamo has come again with his deceit and illogical arguments to hoodwink gullible Nigerians. When did fighting for democracy become a requirement for seeking the highest political office in Nigeria?

Keyamo parades himself as apostle of democracy and human rights, and still went ahead to support and campaign for Muhammadu Buhari, a military dictator, to become president. If fighting for democracy is a requirement for seeking the highest office in the land, what was Buhari’s contribution to democracy? Is Keyamo not aware that Buhari in a coup de’tat, overthrew a democratically-elected government of the late President Shehu Shagari in 1983?

Keyamo deceived Nigerians that he was a champion of democracy and human rights, while he was actually looking for political appointment over these years and was willing to serve in the administration of even the worst dictator. Keyamo has demonstrated that he can campaign for the late Gen. Sani Abacha if he rises from the dead now and throws his hat into the presidential ring. By attacking Atiku, he is already looking for another political appointment ahead of 2023.

Those who know him very well have explained that he attacked Atiku so as to be given an opportunity to be in Tinubu’s media team where he would be dishing out falsehoods and verbal attacks on the opponents. 

He should know that he has since lost his claim to human rights activism and should keep quiet.