Keyamo-Atiku: Nigeria Airways Crisis Predated Obasanjo’s Return in 1999, Says Fani-Kayode

Former Minister of Aviation Femi Fani-Kayode has responded to Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo over the controversy surrounding the liquidation of Nigeria Airways, arguing that the crisis that led to the airline’s collapse began long before former President Olusegun Obasanjo returned to power in 1999.

Fani-Kayode made the clarification in a statement addressed to Keyamo, insisting that although the airline was formally liquidated in 2004 under the Obasanjo administration, its decline resulted from years of mismanagement, corruption, mounting debts and operational failures.

According to him, Nigeria Airways had 32 functional aircraft when Obasanjo left office as military Head of State in 1979. However, he claimed that by the time Obasanjo returned as civilian president in 1999, only one aircraft remained, and it was no longer operational.

Fani-Kayode, who served as Minister of Aviation in 2006 after previously heading the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, said the airline’s assets had largely disappeared and its financial condition had deteriorated significantly before Obasanjo’s return to office.

He argued that the 2004 liquidation was the culmination of a long-standing crisis and maintained that the government had little choice but to end the airline’s operations rather than continue providing public funds to sustain it.

The former minister also addressed the controversy over the unpaid pensions and gratuities of former Nigeria Airways workers, revealing that he had attempted to secure government approval for their payment while serving as aviation minister.

Fani-Kayode said a committee chaired by the then Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Yayale Ahmed, recommended that funds be released to settle the former workers’ entitlements.

He disclosed that he subsequently presented a memorandum to the Federal Executive Council in 2006, arguing that the pensioners deserved to be paid. However, he claimed the proposal was rejected after some cabinet members opposed it, arguing that former management teams and board members had contributed to the airline’s collapse.

Fani-Kayode said he disagreed with that position but was among those who lost the debate.

He added that the matter was revisited under the administration of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, which paid many of the affected pensioners, while the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari also made payments.

Commending Keyamo for overseeing the settlement of the remaining outstanding entitlements, Fani-Kayode said the former workers had suffered for years and deserved to receive their benefits.

On Atiku Abubakar’s role in the pension dispute, Fani-Kayode said he knew the position taken by the former Vice-President during the cabinet deliberations but declined to disclose it publicly. He maintained that decisions taken by the Federal Executive Council were collective government decisions and that members of the administration shared responsibility for their outcomes.

Fani-Kayode’s intervention follows Keyamo’s criticism of Atiku over the former Vice-President’s comments on Nigeria’s economic hardship and insecurity. Keyamo had cited the liquidation of Nigeria Airways and the prolonged pension dispute as part of his argument against Atiku.

The exchange has brought renewed attention to the history of Nigeria Airways, the decisions that led to its closure and the long wait by former workers for their retirement benefits.

Keyamo Accuses Atiku of Hypocrisy Over Nigeria Airways Liquidation, Pension Arrears

Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Festus Keyamo has accused former Vice-President and ADC presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar of hypocrisy after Atiku criticised the economic hardship and insecurity facing Nigerians.

Atiku, in a message addressed to Nigerians, highlighted the difficulties faced by families struggling with rising living costs, hunger, poor purchasing power and insecurity. He urged registered voters to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), describing them as a means of peacefully demanding change.

“Bola made life expensive. I will work to make life affordable again and restore the security every Nigerian deserves,” Atiku wrote, referring to President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

However, Keyamo responded by challenging Atiku’s record in government, particularly over the liquidation of the defunct Nigeria Airways and the unpaid pensions and gratuities of its former workers.

In his reply, Keyamo alleged that the Federal Government under former President Olusegun Obasanjo, when Atiku was Vice-President, liquidated Nigeria Airways in September 2004, leaving thousands of workers without jobs and their retirement benefits unpaid.

The aviation minister claimed that many affected workers had died while waiting for their entitlements, adding that President Tinubu had approved and released ₦36 billion to settle outstanding payments to former Nigeria Airways workers and their families.

According to Keyamo, beneficiaries have started receiving payments, while the workers’ union recently recognised Tinubu for the intervention.

Keyamo argued that Atiku should account for the actions of the administration in which he served rather than criticise the current government over hardship and the welfare of Nigerians.

He also accused the former Vice-President of taking credit for some decisions of the Obasanjo administration when convenient while distancing himself from others.

Describing Atiku’s message as hypocritical, Keyamo said the former Vice-President’s political ambition would not shield his record from public scrutiny.

The exchange highlights the growing political contest over responsibility for Nigeria’s economic challenges, the legacy of previous administrations and the current government’s handling of workers’ welfare.

Atiku: If You Elect Me in 2027, I Will End Election Rigging in Nigeria

Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has outlined a series of electoral and economic reforms he says he would pursue if elected president in 2027.

Atiku made the commitments on Thursday in Abuja while speaking at the ADC national headquarters during an address marking Nigeria’s 66th Independence anniversary.

He said improving the credibility of elections would be a priority under his proposed administration, with plans to strengthen the independence of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and ensure that results from polling units are published promptly.

The former vice president also pledged to prosecute individuals involved in vote buying or the manipulation of election results, regardless of their political affiliation.

Ahead of the 2027 elections, Atiku urged Nigerians to take steps to protect their votes and resist intimidation. He also advised voters to examine the candidates and their programmes carefully, arguing that campaign promises should be backed by measurable plans.

“The coming election offers us a peaceful way to choose our course. This country is yours,” he said.

Turning to the economy, Atiku promised to pursue policies aimed at making food, petrol and electricity more affordable, while improving healthcare, education and transportation.

He also listed insecurity, unemployment and transparency in public spending among the issues his proposed administration would address.

On petrol, Atiku proposed a budgeted and capped subsidy for products refined locally, including petrol from modular refineries, while excluding imported fuel from the arrangement.

He said the proposed framework would help lower the pump price of petrol for consumers.

“We will publish the costs, independently audit the payments and cut government waste to help fund the programme,” he stated.

Atiku also raised concerns over the application of the law in some cases, citing the detention of Sheikh Sani Khalifa Zaria and Malam Nasir El-Rufai as examples he said raised questions about due process.

He further maintained that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s right to appeal his conviction should be respected.

The ADC presidential candidate called on Nigerians to demand greater accountability from elected officials, particularly in relation to government budgets, project implementation and governance.

He said his proposed administration would prioritise economic relief, public safety, job creation and the protection of democratic institutions.

Atiku Demands Release of Five Arrested Over ‘Tinubu Must Go’ T-Shirts in Borno

 Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called for the immediate release of five men arrested and arraigned in Borno State over T-shirts bearing the inscription “Tinubu Must Go.”

The five men — Baba Aji Gremami, Mustapha Abba Yemen, Abacha Mohammed Ali, Adam Umar Gubio and Abdulhamid Mohammed — were arrested in Maiduguri and charged with criminal conspiracy, inciting disturbance, disturbance of public peace and thuggery. They pleaded not guilty to the charges. 

According to a First Information Report issued by the State Criminal Investigation Department, the incident occurred on September 25 around the West End Roundabout area of Maiduguri. Police alleged that the men conspired to print and wear the T-shirts with the intention of causing a breach of public peace. 

Reacting to the development in a statement issued by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, Atiku questioned the basis for detaining citizens over a political slogan.

“‘Tinubu Must Go’ is a demand for political change. It is not a weapon, a threat or a crime,” Atiku said.

He further called on the authorities to disclose the whereabouts of the five men, grant them access to their families and lawyers, and release them if the slogan was the basis for their arrest.

Atiku also drew a comparison between President Bola Tinubu’s past opposition to fuel-pricing policies under former President Goodluck Jonathan and the current economic situation, arguing that Nigerians are now dealing with higher costs of fuel, food, transportation and electricity.

“Tinubu opposed Jonathan’s fuel policy in the streets. Nigerians are living with the consequences of Tinubu’s fuel policy in their homes,” he said.

The former vice president questioned what he described as a contradiction between Tinubu’s previous participation in protests and the reported detention of citizens expressing opposition to his administration.

“Tinubu was free to tell Jonathan that his policies were hurting Nigerians. Nigerians must be free to tell Tinubu that his policies are hurting them. Release these five citizens now,” Atiku said.

The case has attracted wider reactions, including from Amnesty International, which condemned the arrests and argued that expressing political dissent through clothing should not be criminalised. 

The defendants’ case remains before the court. Their bail application is expected to be ruled on October 6, while the substantive case has been scheduled for October 26. 

Atiku’s comments are his political response to the arrests, while the police allegations against the five men remain matters before the court.