Keyamo Accuses Atiku Of Fearing APC’s Northern Support

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has accused former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar of being concerned about the All Progressives Congress’ growing political support in northern Nigeria ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Keyamo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, made the allegation in a statement titled, Why Atiku Abubakar Is Particularly Jittery About the Kaduna Flag-off, in which he criticised the African Democratic Congress presidential candidate over his reported online attacks on the APC ahead of its campaign rally in Kaduna State.

The minister alleged that videos circulating online showing the removal of President Bola Tinubu’s campaign posters were staged to create the impression that the President was losing support in the North. He did not provide evidence to substantiate the claim.

Keyamo also dismissed as fake a purported letter alleging that ₦2.3 trillion had been earmarked for the Kaduna rally. He argued that the document was intended to portray the APC as relying on financial inducements to attract supporters.

The minister maintained that Atiku’s electoral strategy for 2027 depended largely on securing northern votes, while the former vice-president faced challenges in winning sufficient support in the South.

Referring to the 2023 presidential election, Keyamo claimed that Atiku lost across the North-Central states and all Southern states except Osun State.

He alleged that Atiku had initially expected Tinubu to have limited electoral appeal in northern Nigeria but was now concerned about the APC’s political structures and support base in the region.

According to Keyamo, the APC’s presence across the North could undermine Atiku’s strategy of relying on the region to secure victory in the next presidential election.

He further argued that even a strong performance by Atiku in parts of northern Nigeria might not be enough to secure victory if he failed to make substantial gains in the Middle Belt and Southern states.

Keyamo also compared Atiku’s political position with that of former President Muhammadu Buhari, who secured considerable support in the North during the 2015 presidential election.

The minister argued that Atiku’s political background differed from Buhari’s, while making corruption-related allegations against the former vice-president without providing supporting evidence in his statement.

The exchange comes amid growing political activity ahead of the 2027 general election, as political parties and their presidential contenders seek to strengthen their support across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones.