Festus Keyamo’s Ministerial Nomination, Screening, Confirmation And Portfolio: The Uniqueness Of God On The Last Man Standing

By Adeboye Adebayo

It is indeed a miraculous working God, the Almighty God has always been there for us as a people, it has been Him all along over the affairs of men especially our own man & leader, Barrister Festus Keyamo SAN, CON.

Festus Keyamo displayed an unequalled capacity, full commitment and loyalty to the course of our great party, All Progressives Congress, APC and its then Presidential Candidate; Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu during the rigorous and ever-competitive presidential campaigns.

He used his arsenal of effective communication and law to establish an unbeatable support base and facts in support of Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

He was always in the news, on Television Interviews, Press Conferences and Indeed on social media days and nights.

Festus Keyamo, as the Director of Public Affairs Committee and Chief Spokesperson of the APC, Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council led other members of the committee and spokespersons of the campaigns to take hot bullets from the front, back, left, right and centre.

It was tough but Festus Keyamo weather the storm and led us to win the war. We were able to convince Nigerians and the electorates on the reasons why Bola Tinubu was the best for the top job.

Playing very significant roles as the public relations department of the campaign was not an easy task but under Keyamo’s watch and in collaboration with other departments of the presidential campaign council, we delivered Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with votes across all the six geopolitical zones making him a Nigerian President in the real sense of it.

As the debates moved to the Presidential Election Tribunal, Barrister Festus Keyamo SAN was not found wanting, he picked his gown and wig, joined other legal luminaries in the courtroom to defend the mandate given to the President willingly by Nigerians after we have educated them, convinced them and exposed them to the goodies embedded in the Renewed Hope Agenda 2023.

Festus Keyamo played his part committedly as a strong believer and defender of democracy and democratic institutions, he played his part committedly as a patriotic Nigerian, he played his part as former member of the federal executive council who understands how things work, how things can be made to work and who believed in Tinubu’s capacities and experience as the best for Nigeria at this time.

The court debates have been concluded and Nigerians are awaiting the pronouncement of the presiding judges.

When the formation of the government started, we had responsibly hoped that it is automatic for our leader to be part of the nomination to the incoming cabinet not for any sense of entitlement but to give the workaholic party faithful some level of hope in government because we are all aware how things work politically when it comes to reward mechanism after winning elections, different interests will crop up, sentiments will grow, competition will be very stiff and it becomes the survival of the fittest.

As the President sent the first batch of the ministerial to the senate for screening, our name was conspicuously missing, we waited for another batch; when the second batch was sent and our name was still missing, then we realized devil is at work, all hope lost and dashed, we retired to our caves, consoling ourselves that there is a special thing coming for us. I told one of my associates repeatedly that I don’t know what God is doing, but I know He is doing something.

As the last batch of nominations were being screened, God stepped in, to surprise us with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu sending a letter to the senate adding Festus Keyamo as the last man standing on the ministerial list. That nomination changed the mood of the party, dashed hopes rekindled and the state of hopelessness on the part of the workaholic party faithful changed to a state of hopefulness.

Immediately, we mobilized for the screening exercise at the red chamber on that Saturday but the exercise was later in the evening postponed till the following Monday. On Monday morning, we mobilized again to the senate wing of the National Assembly in solidarity with our leader.

As the last man standing, we were ushered into the red chamber after the senate relaxed its rules to accommodate strangers. Then the Senate President welcomed us and requested the last man standing to introduce himself.

Barrister Festus Keyamo did justice to that diligently by informing the senate how he worked in collaboration with other young lawyers then in the country under the coordination of late human rights activist, Chief Gani Fawehinmi to fight patriotically for the restoration of democracy alongside President Bola Tinubu who was then operating as a chieftain of NADECO pursuing the same course then.

He also explained to the distinguished senators how he in his own volition, went to court and won a case to subject the military formation in the country to the democratic institution of the national assembly.

The judgement has given the National Assembly today the right and mandate to screen and approve the appointment of service chiefs in Nigeria, an unprecedented feat indeed. He made another presentation to the Senate before he rested his case.

As he concluded his thoughts during the introduction, the devil stepped in again, like play, like play, a motion to step down his nomination was moved and seconded and was actually subjected to voice voting by the senate President before God finally stepped in finally. Rowdiness ensued, the Senate moved for an executive session, then they shut the doors.

After a series of back and forth, the senators reconvened and, in their magnanimity, the distinguished senators handled the issues with utmost understanding and they successfully screened the last man standing after he had humbly tendered his absolute apologies without any reservation. Compromise was reached, apologies tendered, apologies accepted, lessons were learnt and eventually, our leader was confirmed as a minister of the federal republic of Nigeria.

In his determination to make things work in the Aviation and Aeronautic Sector of the country, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu reposes great confidence in Festus Keyamo to revamp, revitalize and rework the sector to meet international standards in terms of quality service delivery and contribution to the country’s GDP. A task that our leader has accepted and he has promised not to disappoint Nigerians and the President himself.

We thank the Almighty God for His mercy and benevolence, We thank the Nigerian senate for its magnanimity in screening and confirmation and we thank President Bola Tinubu for this nomination and the tasking portfolio.

By the special grace of Almighty God, Barrister Festus Keyamo SAN, CON will not and will never disappoint God, Nigerians and Mr President, he is passionate, ever prepared and ever ready to deliver in his humble capacity as the Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aeronautics Development, so help him God.

Comrade Adeboye Adebayo is the National Director, Media and Publicity, Asiwaju Project Beyond 2023, Member, APC Professional Forum and was a Spokesman, APC, Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council