RismadarVoice Reporters
September 19, 2026
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Festus Keyamo has criticised former Vice-President and African Democratic Congress presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar for repeatedly addressing President Bola Tinubu by his first name during a press conference in Abuja.
Keyamo described Atiku’s choice of address as disrespectful and discourteous, arguing that political disagreements should not diminish the respect accorded to the office of the President.
In a social media post, the minister said Atiku should recognise the dignity attached to the presidency regardless of their political differences.
Keyamo also accused Atiku of allowing personal grievances to influence the tone of his remarks. That characterisation represents Keyamo’s assessment of Atiku’s comments, rather than a fact.
The minister further referred to Atiku’s recent claim that Tinubu was older than him, arguing that it was inconsistent for the former Vice-President to make such a claim while addressing the President simply as “Bola.”
ATIKU PRESSES TINUBU ON PETROL PRICES
The disagreement followed Atiku’s Friday press conference in Abuja, where he called on Tinubu to take immediate steps to reduce petrol prices and ease the wider cost-of-living pressures facing Nigerians.
Atiku said the administration could adopt his proposed intervention, modify it and take credit for the policy if it succeeded in reducing fuel costs.
The ADC presidential candidate also criticised reliance on palliatives as a response to economic hardship, arguing that temporary assistance could not substitute for policies addressing underlying costs.
Atiku proposed a production subsidy for petroleum products refined in Nigeria and sold domestically, saying imported products would not qualify. He said the programme, if implemented under his proposed framework, would have a defined spending limit, require National Assembly approval and be independently audited.
The exchange reflects the increasingly sharp political debate over fuel prices and economic policy ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with Atiku challenging the administration’s approach and Keyamo objecting to the manner in which the opposition candidate addressed the President.
