Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has come under fire from Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, for announcing his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during a time when the country is grieving the loss of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
This was revealed by Keyamo on Wednesday in a statement posted on his X account.
His remarks coincide with the official departure of PDP presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar from the opposition party on Wednesday.
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Keyamo went on to say that Atiku’s continued usage of the Federal Government’s coat of arms in his political or private correspondence after he has left the position is unethical and illegal.
“Your Excellency, @atiku, whilst I acknowledge that it is within your constitutional right to change political parties at any time you may wish, however, releasing your letter of resignation from the PDP during this week of the mourning of our immediate past president, Muhammadu Buhari, is clearly an attempt to draw the spotlight away from such a solemn occasion and direct it on yourself. In fact (as the image below shows), you prepared, typed, signed, and delivered that letter the morning after the passing away of the former president was announced. With the greatest respect to you, this clearly demonstrates that your obsession with your perennial presidential ambition knows no sympathy or empathy.
“And since we are on the issue of your letter, it is both morally and legally wrong to continue to use the Coat of Arms of the Federal Government in your private or political communications when you stopped being a functionary of the Federal Government more than 18 years ago. Section 6 of the Flag and Coat of Arms Act, Cap. F30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, makes this an offence.
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“Morally, it is also reprehensible to use a symbol suggesting that you are acting on behalf of the authority that symbol represents. It borders on impersonation. Imagine a situation where all former government functionaries continue to use the Coat of Arms of Nigeria in their personal, political, or private communications. There would certainly be confusion everywhere.
“I have a bounden duty both as a Cabinet member and a member of the Inner Bar to protect our laws and constitution. Please, be well guided,” he wrote on X.
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Similarly, the APC has also bashed the former vice president over his presidential ambition. According to the All Progressives Congress (APC), the PDP’s political hegemony is unaffected by Atiku Abubakar’s resignation.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Mr. Seye Oladejo, the spokesman for the APC in Lagos, claimed that Atiku’s potential defect to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has no bearing on the 2027 elections.
His resignation indicates that he is prepared to strengthen his relationship with ADC in the run-up to the general elections.
In response, Oladejo said that Atiku’s decision to leave the PDP was a desperate but predictable move that revealed a divided opposition.
The APC spokesman additionally stated that the move demonstrates Atiku’s ongoing lack of political consistency and the internal breakdown of the PDP.
