Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has accused former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of being consumed by bitterness over President Bola Tinubu’s emergence as Nigeria’s President, claiming the opposition leader is suffering from what he called “agitated depression.”
Keyamo made the remarks in a statement posted on his X account on Saturday while reacting to Atiku’s recent criticism of the Tinubu administration.
According to the minister, Atiku’s repeated attacks on the President are not acts of opposition politics but signs of frustration over his inability to attain the country’s highest office.
“It is now very obvious that Atiku Abubakar is a pained and very bitter fellow. 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,” Keyamo said.
He recalled that Atiku served as Nigeria’s Vice President while Tinubu was Governor of Lagos State, adding that many people at the time believed Atiku was politically ahead in the race for the presidency.
Keyamo, however, said events eventually turned in Tinubu’s favour through what he described as “fate, luck, divine interventions and political dexterity.”
He noted that Tinubu became President “at the first try,” unlike Atiku, whose presidential ambition, according to him, has lasted for decades.
The minister stressed that political power comes from God and cited Ecclesiastes 9:11, which says: “I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.”
Calling on those around the former vice president to support him, Keyamo said: “We should all pity Atiku Abubakar rather than goad him on. Those close to him should actually administer anti-depressants on him. Rather than win supporters, he will lose most intelligent ones by his recent posturing.”
He added: “Atiku Abubakar urgently needs mental health support at this critical time as he finally peters out into political oblivion.”
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