The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has said that the All Progressives Congress is not a party made up of saints. However, he insisted that the party remains a better option for Nigeria than the Peoples Democratic Party.
Keyamo made the statement in a post on his verified X handle, formerly known as Twitter, on Saturday. The post was accompanied by a video clip from an interview he granted to a blog in 2017.
According to him, his comments in the old interview were recently taken out of context by some people. He explained that the part where he compared the APC to the PDP was edited out, making it seem as though he was criticising only his own party.
He wrote that the video he shared showed the full and unedited version of the interview. He stressed that even in 2017, he clearly stated that while the APC was not a party of saints, it was still better than “where we were coming from.”
Keyamo said, “I will be a fool to say APC is a Party of saints. And anyone who declares any party to which he or she belongs as a party of saints will also be a fool.”
His remarks have sparked reactions in political circles, especially as Nigeria continues to witness intense debates among members of different political parties ahead of future elections.
Nigeria returned to democratic rule in 1999. For 16 years, the Peoples Democratic Party controlled the Federal Government. During that period, the PDP produced presidents including Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan.
In 2015, the All Progressives Congress came to power after defeating the PDP in a historic election. The APC victory marked the first time an opposition party would unseat a sitting government at the federal level in Nigeria.
Since then, the APC has remained in power. The party first produced former President Muhammadu Buhari, who served for eight years from 2015 to 2023. In 2023, the APC again won the presidential election, and Bola Ahmed Tinubu was sworn in as President.
Despite being in power for over a decade, the APC has faced criticism over issues such as insecurity, economic hardship, rising inflation and unemployment. Some critics argue that the party has not delivered enough change compared to the promises it made in 2015.
It is against this background that Keyamo’s comments are being discussed.
In his post, Keyamo said it would be wrong for anyone to claim that any political party is perfect. According to him, no party is without flaws because political parties are made up of human beings.
He insisted that, on balance, the APC still offers better hope for Nigeria than the PDP. He warned against returning to what he described as the “era of the PDP,” noting that some of the politicians who were active during that period are now seeking to lead the country again.
Keyamo also praised President Tinubu, saying he did not “hop onto that battered train of PDP” during the years when many politicians moved between parties. His comment appeared to suggest that Tinubu has remained consistent in his political alignment.
Tinubu was a founding member of parties that later merged to form the APC. Before becoming President, he served as Governor of Lagos State from 1999 to 2007 and played a key role in building opposition politics that eventually led to the defeat of the PDP in 2015.
Keyamo’s statement has drawn mixed reactions from Nigerians. Supporters of the APC say his comments show honesty and maturity, as he admitted that no party is perfect. They argue that acknowledging weaknesses is the first step toward improvement.
However, critics say the APC should focus more on addressing the country’s pressing problems rather than comparing itself to the PDP. Many Nigerians are currently struggling with high food prices, fuel costs and economic challenges.
