A combined photo of Festus Keyamo and Atoku Abubakar
By Abdullahi Abubakar
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo has said that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar broke the law for using Nigeria’s Coat of Arms on his personal and political correspondence despite having left government office about 18 years ago.
Keyamo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and loyalist of President Bola Tinubu, made this known in a post on his X (formerly Twitter) account on Wednesday while reacting to Atiku’s recent resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Atiku’s resignation letter from PDP
Atiku, in a letter dated July 14, 2025, addressed to the PDP Chairman of his ward in Jada Local Government Area of Adamawa State, officially announced his resignation from the party.
The letter, which surfaced online on Wednesday, cited “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for his exit.
However, Keyamo seized on the timing of the resignation letter, which came amid ‘national mourning’ following the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari, to accuse Atiku of seeking to divert public attention for personal political gain.
Reacting in his X post, Keyamo wrote, “Your Excellency, @atiku, whilst I acknowledge that it is within your constitutional right to change political parties at any time you may wish, however, releasing your letter of resignation from the PDP during this week of the mourning of our immediate past President, Muhammadu Buhari, is clearly an attempt to draw the spotlight away from such a solemn occasion and direct it on yourself.
“In fact (as the image below shows) you prepared, typed, signed and delivered that letter the morning after the passing away of the former President was announced.
“With the greatest respect to you, this clearly demonstrates that your obsession with your perennial Presidential ambition knows no sympathy or empathy.”
But more significantly, Keyamo warned Atiku that his continued use of Nigeria’s Coat of Arms in his private political communications was illegal.
He wrote further: “And since we are on the issue of your letter, it is both morally and legally wrong to continue to use the Coat of Arms of the Federal Government in your private or political communications when you stopped being a functionary of the Federal Government more than 18 years ago.
“Section 6 of the Flag and Coat of Arms Act, Cap. F30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 makes this an offence.
“Morally, it is also reprehensible to use a symbol suggesting that you are acting on behalf of the authority which that symbol represents. It borders on impersonation.
“Imagine a situation where all former Government functionaries continue to use the Coat of Arms of Nigeria in their personal, political or private communications. There would certainly be confusion everywhere.
“I have a bounden duty both as a Cabinet member and a member of the Inner Bar to protect our laws and constitution.”
It will be recalled that Atiku, alongside other political figures such as Peter Obi, Nasir El-Rufai, David Mark, Rotimi Amaechi, and Rauf Aregbesola, recently formed a new coalition under the African Democratic Congress (ADC), presenting itself as a fresh political force ahead of the 2027 general elections.àq⁰
