Return to work as minister, Atiku’s aide tells Keyamo

Forum 1 year ago

Return to work as minister, Atiku’s aide tells Keyamo

The Special Assistant on Public Communication to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Mr Phrank Shaibu, on Saturday urged the spokesperson for the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council, Festus Keyamo, to focus on the ministerial work he was appointed to do.

While accusing the Minister of State for Labour and Productivity of issuing ‘frivolous statements’ over a certain imaginary plot by the opposition, Shaibu further called for his sacking for dereliction of his primary duty.

His attack on Keyamo was a reaction to an earlier statement issued by the PCC spokesman that the action of the opposition and critics calling for the cancellation of the presidential election results was capable of truncating the nation’s democracy.

He said, “We wish to reiterate and emphasise that these positions are not in tandem with our constitutional provisions or our electoral laws. We would have taken these as mere wishful thinking, however because of their implications for national security and public order, we have therefore considered it necessary, if not expedient, to caution them.

“We are aware of the intentions of those engaged in these treasonable and subversive acts. We also know those involved in the many plots being contrived to undermine the transition in particular and democracy in general. They are fixated on an Interim Government.”

Reacting to his statement, Shaibu said, “Festus Keyamo’s primary duty is to serve as a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, but this is a man that has put his personal interest ahead of the country. He took up a job as spokesman for Tinubu’s campaign while lecturers were on strike for eight months.

“Rather than negotiate with lecturers and get innocent students back to class, he asked the parents of students to go and negotiate with ASUU instead. After the strike, he remained the spokesman for Tinubu’s campaign and abandoned his duties completely.

“Today, the Nigeria Labour Congress is threatening to embark on a nationwide strike over the naira scarcity. By virtue of his job as labour minister, his primary duty is to avert industrial action.”