Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has launched a verbal attack on former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, describing him as a “pained and bitter fellow” over his criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Keyamo, in a statement on Friday, accused Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), of being driven by resentment in his recent criticisms of the president and his government.
The minister also used the phrase “agitated depression” to describe Atiku’s alleged state of mind, adding that the former vice-president needed urgent medical attention.
However, Keyamo did not provide any medical evidence to support the claim.
Atiku has recently criticised the Tinubu administration’s handling of the economic gains from the removal of the petrol subsidy, questioning the government’s management of the resulting savings amid continuing economic challenges.
The exchange highlights the growing political tension between the president’s supporters and opposition figures as criticism of the federal government’s economic policies continues.
Atiku, who contested the 2023 presidential election against Tinubu, has remained a prominent critic of the administration.
The latest remarks by Keyamo add to the increasingly heated political exchanges between the two camps over the direction of the country and the government’s handling of the economy.
