TheCable

Phrank Shaibu, an aide to Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says Festus Keyamo has no business being on any presidential campaign team.

Shaibu was commenting on the feud between Keyamo, spokesman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign council, and Dele Momodu, publisher of Ovation magazine.

The two men have been in a heated exchange after Momodu alleged that APC’s presidential manifesto was copied from that of Moshood Abiola, presumed winner of 1993 presidential election.

In an article on Thursday, Atiku’s aide said Keyamo should be ready to defend his party because Nigerians “will ask tough questions”.

“Even by Nigeria’s low standards, no serious political party should allow a loose canon like Keyamo go anywhere near its presidential campaign council, not to talk of allowing him to speak for it,” he said.

“By the way, what did Keyamo say is Dele Momodu’s crime?

“Whether Keyamo likes it or not, Nigerians will ask all the tough questions including questions about Tinubu’s age, his health, his serial gaffes and irritating ‘metaphors’ , his certificate, his state of origin, the source of his wealth, Muslim-Muslim ticket and many more; and there is nothing Keyamo can do about it.

“Nuisance is particularly of great importance in Nigerian politics, where politicians lack self-belief and live make-belief.

“I will not be surprised that in the event that APC loses next year’s presidential election, Keyamo and his co-travelers could resort to the use of an easier option of manipulating the sentiments of gullible Nigerians to incite them and provoke deadly protests using the volatility of the election period as a convenient tool.

“The reality is Keyamo should be nowhere near any presidential campaign office given the usually unverifiable pieces of information upon which his press statements, and social media posts are based.”