It seemed to be war of words between former ministers of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, Fani Kayode and the incumbent, Festus Keyamo.
17 years ago, Femi Fani Kayode, assumed the position of Aviation Minister under former president Olusegun Obasanjo; while Osita Chidoka was Aviation Minister under former president Goodluck Jonathan, in Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governments.
The war of words started on May 16, when President Tinubu’s Aviation and Aerospace Development Minister, Festus Keyamo, that Emirates Airline would resume flights into Nigeria, two years after suspending operations.
Osita Chidoka chided Keyamo for celebrating the return. Chidoka said Nigeria’s pride and sovereignty have been played with the by UAE government and Emirates Airline. He further demanded that the airline’s return should not be granted without sanctions. Read more.
In reaction, Keyamo accused Chidoka of playing politics with sincere diplomatic moves of President Tinubu to restore bilateral relationship with UAE for greater advantage of Nigerian. He questioned Chidoka’s integrity, asking why he did not ask his party’s (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, to sell off his investments in the UAE to show his disdain for the government’s visa ban on Nigerians.
READ ALSO: We have resolved visa ban with UAE – Festus Keyamo
Keyamo further advised Chidoka to wait until his party (PDP) wins power in 2027 election to demand for sanctions on Emirates Airlines and the UAE government.
Stepping into the word war, Femi Kayode advised Chidoka to allow Festus do his work. Kayode said Osita should put up recommendations he may have for Keyamo through private means.
In a statement on Friday, May 24, Tinubu’s former director general of new media in the presidential campaign council, said effort by Keyamo that ked to the resolve of the flight issues between Emirates Airline and Nigeria was commendable.
“For a former Minister of Aviation to berate one of his successors in office for restoring a crucial flight route like that of the UAE and for fighting to ensure that the visa ban on Nigerians is removed in that country is disingenuous and uncharitable.
“Whatever unfair practices or indignities the UAE or their Emirates Airline may have subjected our people and nation to in the past (and I do not doubt that they did so) must have been a subject of discussion between the present Minister of Aviation, who is not the sort of man that will take rubbish from foreigners, and his counterpart in the UAE and I am sure that the necessary regrets, commitments and concessions for better behaviour in the future from the Emiratis must have been elicited by him.
“If there is any need for a former Minister of Aviation to criticize or to voice any concerns on matters concerning his former Ministry and the aviation sector generally, as long as it does not involve the safety of the passengers or life and death, I believe it would have been better, more prudent and far more effective if it had been channeled through a private meeting given the fact that the former Minister involved knows the enormous challenges that that particular office and Ministry are faced with. To do otherwise is unfair and irresponsible.
“More importantly playing politics with a Ministry like that of Aviation where lives may be at risk and where the international community, foreign Governments and foreign carriers have more often than not attempted to shortchange and undermine the credibility, fortunes and opportunities afforded to Nigerian ones in terms of fair practices, lucrative routes etc. is unacceptable.”
