Reno Omokri, former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, has lashed out at the spokesperson for the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign council, Festus Keyamo, for saying Atiku Abubakar lacked governance experience.
PlatinumPost reports that Keyamo, had while appearing on ‘Politics Today’ on Channels TV on Friday, said Atiku-a fomer Vice President and People’s Democratic Party presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, has never held any executive position.
Keyamo, the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, said the candidate of Labour Party, Peter Obi is “ahead of him (Mr Atiku) in terms of capacity to make decisions. So how are we going to hand the country to somebody who has never held a position—who has never shown capacity where he makes the final call. Atiku Abubakar is not tested, he is not trusted. He has never held such a position, even Obi is ahead of him.
“The major rival we have today has never held an executive position where he makes the final call in government. So, we cannot second guess—Atiku Abubakar has never held an executive position where he made the final call; he was the vice president, he was not the chief executive, he was never governor, he was never anything. Even Peter Obi is ahead of Atiku Abubakar,” he said.
But reacting to Keyamo’s comment in a post on his social media pages on Saturday, Omokri said Keyamo exhibited dishonesty in his assessment of Atiku.
According to the United States-based public affairs analyst, Atiku weilded executive powers as Vice President, citing the directive to then Inspector General of Police, late Tafa Balogun, on the need to restore Chris Ngige as Anambra governor.
Omokri said : “Festus Keyamo displayed either dishonesty or ignorance when he said Atiku has no executive experience, and that Peter Obi has more executive experience than him is an overreach by Keyamo. Who was in charge of Nigeria when then President Obasanjo traveled and Ngige was abducted on July 10, 2003? It was Atiku.
” Atiku ORDERED Tafa Balogun, the then IGP, to restore Ngige to power! Festus Keyamo needs an education on how the executive arm works. Atiku Abubakar was constitutionally the head of the National Economic Council. Even Obasanjo could not remove him. Tinubu, Kwankwaso and Obi worked UNDER him in the NEC. Atiku was their BOSS!”
