Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Festus Keyamo has accused former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar of bitterness over President Bola Tinubu’s emergence as Nigeria’s leader, following the ADC chieftain’s latest criticism of the administration’s petrol discount policy. In a statement issued on Friday, Keyamo described Atiku as a “pained and very bitter fellow” and argued that […]

Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Festus Keyamo has accused former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar of bitterness over President Bola Tinubu’s emergence as Nigeria’s leader, following the ADC chieftain’s latest criticism of the administration’s petrol discount policy.

In a statement issued on Friday, Keyamo described Atiku as a “pained and very bitter fellow” and argued that the former vice-president was struggling to accept Tinubu’s political success.

The exchange followed Atiku’s criticism of the Federal Government’s 30-day petrol discount at NNPC Limited stations, which he dismissed as a “panic-driven publicity stunt”.

At the inauguration of the ADC presidential campaign council in Abuja, Atiku accused Tinubu of adopting his production subsidy proposal without retaining the components he said were necessary for the policy to work.

“Bola, you are like a dull student who copied his classmate’s answer,” Atiku said, comparing the administration’s approach to a student claiming credit for another person’s work.

Keyamo responded by arguing that Atiku’s criticism was driven by resentment over Tinubu winning the presidency on his first attempt, despite the former vice-president’s years of seeking the same office.

According to the minister, Tinubu had politically outmanoeuvred Atiku in the contest for what he described as the country’s most coveted position, a development he claimed had fuelled the former vice-president’s anger.

Keyamo went further by describing Atiku’s recent comments as “a higher form of depression in the field of mental health called agitated depression”. The statement reflects Keyamo’s allegation and should not be interpreted as a verified diagnosis.

The minister noted that both politicians had pursued the presidency since 2007, after serving in different political offices. He attributed Tinubu’s eventual success to a combination of political dexterity, circumstances and what he called divine intervention.

Invoking Ecclesiastes 9:11, Keyamo argued that political power was not determined by human effort alone. He said Atiku should remember that leadership ultimately came from God rather than from individuals.

“Power is given only by God Almighty, not by man,” the minister said, responding to what he described as Atiku’s repeated attacks on the President.

Keyamo also advised those around the former vice-president against encouraging his latest criticism, saying they should instead seek medical support for him. He ended his statement by predicting that Atiku was moving towards political oblivion.

The dispute comes amid a wider political argument over the Tinubu administration’s economic decisions, with Atiku challenging the design of the petrol discount and Keyamo questioning the motives behind the former vice-president’s criticism.