The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has accused Aviation and Aerospace Development Minister, Festus Keyamo, of abandoning his responsibilities for political debates about the 2027 general election.
In a statement issued on Sunday by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, the group condemned Keyamo’s lengthy post on X (formerly Twitter), where he warned the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against presenting Peter Obi or former President Goodluck Jonathan as candidates.
HURIWA described the minister’s remarks as “insensitive and diversionary,” stressing that his priority should be addressing the problems confronting Nigeria’s aviation industry, not engaging in partisan speculation.
“The Minister of Aviation, Mr. Festus Keyamo, has demonstrated gross insensitivity to the plight of millions of Nigerians by abandoning his duty post to engage in speculative political commentary,” the statement read.
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“Nigerians entrusted him with the aviation sector, which is already struggling with exorbitant airfares, poor airport infrastructure, and a lack of investment. Yet, instead of rolling out workable reforms, he is busy warning the PDP about their choice of candidates for 2027. This is an unmitigated disgrace, and President Tinubu must not condone it.”
The association urged President Bola Tinubu to caution his cabinet members, noting that their mandate is to rescue the economy, not act as strategists for the ruling party.
It further accused the administration of worsening economic hardship through “toxic taxation,” citing recent increases in passport and business registration fees, electricity tariffs, and the Central Bank’s failure to curb excessive lending rates that have crippled small businesses.
HURIWA maintained that the aviation sector alone requires urgent reforms to reduce fares, upgrade airports, and attract investments, insisting that these issues cannot be resolved by political distractions.
“Two years into his tenure, Nigerians are confronted with renewed despair. Inflation has eroded the purchasing power of citizens, insecurity continues to plague communities, and public services remain in shambles,” the group said.
It called on citizens to hold the government accountable, warning officials to focus on governance.
“Face your jobs, deliver the dividends of democracy, or quit your offices. Nigeria is not a testing ground for politicians to rehearse future elections. The mandate you carry belongs to the people, not to your political ambitions. Enough is enough,” the statement concluded.
