By Akinwale Kasali
A dirty battle is in the offing between the Minister of State, Labour, Festus Keyamo, SAN, and Senator Dino Melaye.
Both men are Spokespersons for the Presidential Campaign Organisations of the Presidential candidates of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. While Keyamo speaks for APC’s Bola Tinubu’s Campaign Organisation, Melaye speaks for that of PDP’s Atiku Abubakar, a former Vice President of Nigeria.
The two men, Keyamo and Melaye, have started a fight which promises to, at once, be as entertaining as it is going to be messy.
Trouble started when Keyamo appeared on the Channels Television’s flagship program, Politics today anchored by its regular host, Seun Okinbaloye. In answer to a question, Keyamo put down the PDP Candidate.
He said Atiku is not qualified to be the President of Nigeria because, according to him, Atiku has had no experience at all in Governance. Of the three main candidates – Atiku, LP’s Peter Obi, and Tinibu – Keyamo rated Atiku the least qualified.
That stung Melaye who questioned Keyamo’s SAN title. He also asked Keyamo what job he does as President Muhammadu Buhari’s Minister, and dismissed him as idle. He said no Nigerian knows what Keyamo portfolio, as the Minister for Labour, Dr Chris Ngige, has clearly eclipsed Keyamo who is a junior Minister in the Ministry of Labour and Productivity.
Finally, Melaye said he is waiting for an opportunity where he and Keyamo would square up in a debate session before Okinbaloye or on any other platform.
“I will break him (Keyamo) to pieces”, Melaye said, and demonstrated how in the video post.
Following, are Melaye’s thorough tongue-lashing of Keyamo in response to the Minister’s interview.
“My fellow country men and women, I am here once again to address you on our nation’s history and to react, specifically, to Keyamo’s myopic, porous, parochial and intellectually stagnant interview on Channels Television that is shameful and very embarrassing and a disgrace to his children, that Keyamo will open his gutter and talk to the former Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, one Nigerian with multiple competencies, a man indoctrinated with Civil Administration and immense qualities in the person of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
“Keyamo’s inactive Ministerial sojourn is affecting his Medulla Oblongata because if he has succeeded as a Minister, he won’t be talking the way he is talking.
“Ask Nigerians today what portfolio Keyamo is holding. Many Nigerians will tell you that they dont even know the office Keyamo is holding because he is redundant, he is inactive, he is not visible and he has been completely consumed with the aura of Chris Ngige as superior Minister.
“This is because he has failed as a Minister, he is inactive as a Minister, he is not visible as a Minister, he is not known as a Minister, he is redundant as the MInister of State for Labour.
“No Nigerian who is educated, who is intellectually okay, who is mentally fit will sought to denigrate and abuse the Office of the Vice President of Nigeria. What he has abused and attacked is not Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s person but the Office of the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, that is a constitutional office and the number two citizen of Nigeria.
“This is because Keyamo is a commercialized conscience, he has monetized his life, that is why he would not understand that the Vice President of Nigeria has some Ministries, Parastatals under his direct supervision and oversight. That is why he will not also know that the Vice President presides over the Federal Executive Council, FEC, meetings in the absence of the President.
“That is also why he would not know that the Vice President acts as the President when the President is not in the country. What he has done is that he has abused the office of the Vice President of Nigeria as a lawyer who understands the constitutionality of that office, and the enormous responsibilities of that office.
“Anyone who is a Vice President is fit to be a President, and again, will Keyamo now say he is also writing off the business success, or the successes of Atiku Abubakar in the Corporate World?
“Will keyamo also say that Atiku has not succeeded internationally as a Businessman? Keyamo now say that the experience of Atiku in the manufacturing sector, banking sector, logistics, humanities, aviation. what sector has Atiku not succeeded at?
“A Vice President after 20 years, that left office in 2007 is still moving like a sitting Vice President with all his staff intact till today.
“A Man with such phenomenal capacity with corporate experience, you now just come and sit down, whether you are acting under the influence of ‘Sepe’ or you are acting under the influence of Marijuana, or you just smoked your Ganja Weed and and you just open your mouth and talk because you are defending a man who takes more drugs than food today.
“It is just so unfortunate that Keyamo, who I question his Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, because nobody who was properly taught, and properly brought up will sit down and denigrate the office of the Vice President of Nigeria and a lawyer for that matter, it is a shame on Keyamo and I challenge you, Keyamo, for debate because it is obvious you are speaking balderdash. You are talking rubbish, but I want to assure you that Nigerians know who you are.
“You are a commercialized character, a failed politician, you have never won an election even in the Primaries, not to talk of general election. You have never won an election before in your life.
“You have never been a Councillor, a House of Assembly Member, so you don’t understand the rudiments of politics and democracy.
“You are unfit, incompetent to discuss politics, democracy not to talk of our highly respected Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. But this is not a day to talk, I challenge you for a debate in which we would sit and talk, and I will break you to pieces.
“Unfortunately, I am doing this on social media, but I am waiting for an invitation from Seun or any other platform so that I can expose your ignorance, and I will expose to Nigerians how empty you are. It is so unfortunate.
“Whether you like it or not, you cannot take the credit, experience of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar away from him. even you said that Atiku Abubakar has no experience. He is running for the Presidency not for the second or third time, so he understands the route not like your political virgin, Tinubu you are supporting who is running for the Presidency for the first time, and sees it as his life entitlement, and retirement benefit for supporting Buhari.
“Atiku is running on his credentials and not for entitlement. he is not running because of the Party, he is running on his credentials. He is a team player, talent-hunter and a leader par excellence. He has the rudiment of Civil Administration and rudiment of politics, and I want to tell you, Keyamo, enough is enough, if not, that jungle wey you talk say go mature, na there we go eat you”
