Dare Babalola
Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, has reacted to comments attributed to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in which he declined to respond to Vice President Kashim Shettima, citing respect for age, experience and cultural norms.
Atiku was quoted as saying, “I will not respond to Kashim Shettima because he is disrespectful. I am older than him and I have more experience in governance than he does, so I will not respond to him. It is not part of our tradition in the North to disrespect elders. You cannot look at someone who is senior to you in both age and accomplishments and start taunting him. That is not our tradition, so I won’t engage with him.”
Reacting in a Facebook post on Friday titled “WITH LOVE TO WAZIRI,” Fani-Kayode said he had known Atiku for over three decades, recalling their first meeting in 1989 under the now-defunct September Club.
He wrote, “My dear Waziri, you know I love you very much and have expressed admiration for your efforts from time to time over the last 36 years since I have known you.”
Fani-Kayode said Atiku attended the 1989 meeting as a mentee and loyalist of the late Gen. Shehu Musa Yar’Adua.
However, he criticised Atiku’s recent remarks, describing them as inconsistent with his past political conduct.
“You said you cannot answer Vice President Kashim Shettima because he is disrespectful and because you are older and far more experienced than him. That is strange coming from you,” he wrote.
Fani-Kayode also referenced Atiku’s tenure as Vice President between 1999 and 2007, alleging that he had engaged in political opposition within the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
“I seem to recall that between 1999 and 2007 when we were in power you openly insulted, disrespected and led a full scale rebellion and unrelenting mutiny against President Obasanjo who was not only your boss and our leader but who also had far more working experience than you and was much older,” he alleged.
He further claimed that Atiku had attempted to undermine Obasanjo while in office.
He continued, “As Vice President you could not find the courage to do same. As a matter of fact from day one of the 8 years that you were VP till the day we left office you were plotting to remove OBJ from his seat… What could be more disrespectful than that to an elder or anyone else.”
Fani-Kayode said Atiku had no basis to invoke age and experience in defending his refusal to respond to Shettima.
He also commended Vice President Kashim Shettima, describing him as loyal to his principal, President Bola Tinubu.
He added, “It takes courage and character to be loyal. Kashim has that courage and character but you never did.”
The former minister also addressed Atiku’s recent comments on former President Goodluck Jonathan, where he described Jonathan as inexperienced.
Atiku had reportedly said in an interview, “I know Goodluck Jonathan very well, he is a decent young man but also inexperienced, which contributed to his failure to manage the affairs of the country.”
Fani-Kayode described the statement as “arrogant,” noting that Jonathan is 68 years old and previously served as Vice President and President.
“You refer to a man that has lived on the earth for 68 years as a ‘young man’? I am astounded by the sheer arrogance of your words,” he said.
Defending Jonathan’s record, he argued that Nigeria recorded economic growth during his administration and praised his leadership style.
“Jonathan also displayed virtues of leadership and decency… he was not only humane, gentle, restrained, kind and compassionate to a fault as a leader but that he also did his very best as President at a difficult time,” he stated.
He also commended Jonathan for conceding defeat in the 2015 presidential election.
“Most important of all is the fact that Jonathan had the courage and decency to walk away from power and hand it to President Buhari on a platter of gold after he lost the election in 2015.”
Fani-Kayode, who served as Director of Jonathan’s 2015 Presidential Campaign Organisation, also defended the former president’s political record and loyalty to his allies.
He further reacted to Atiku’s warning that democracy was under threat, particularly comments attributed to him that he would “fight the Federal Government” if elections were manipulated.
“It is clear that INEC is being used in this country, we will fight the Federal Government to restore democracy.”
Fani-Kayode dismissed the remarks, warning that they could inflame political tensions and suggesting they were motivated by anticipated electoral defeat.
“You can smell your defeat coming like the mighty ship they called the Titanic your ambitions are about to crash and sink,” he wrote.
He urged Atiku to accept electoral outcomes peacefully.
“Please leave INEC out of it and prepare to accept the failure that is your portion and that is coming your way.”
He also defended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), describing allegations against the electoral body as baseless and dangerous.
Fani-Kayode further criticised Atiku’s political trajectory, accusing him of repeated party switches and lack of loyalty to political allies.
He also referenced comments attributed to Atiku that opposition figures such as Rabiu Kwankwaso, Nasir El-Rufai and Aminu Tambuwal were less popular than him, describing the statement as lacking humility.
He concluded that ambition had driven Atiku’s political decisions over the years, warning that such ambition could be politically self-destructive.
