The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has attacked the New Democratic Congress over the controversy surrounding the singing of Nigeria’s former national anthem by its supporters, describing those willing to vote for the party as irresponsible.
Keyamo said the incident raised questions about the party’s respect for national symbols, the rule of law and the responsibilities associated with seeking the nation’s highest political offices.
The controversy erupted on Thursday when the NDC presidential candidate, Peter Obi, the party’s Lagos governorship candidate, Funso Doherty, and other supporters sang the old national anthem, 'Nigeria, We Hail Thee', at a political gathering in Lagos.
Reacting to the development on Friday during an interview on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, the minister said the party’s conduct deserved scrutiny from Nigerians ahead of the next general election.
Drawing a comparison with criticisms directed at the ruling All Progressives Congress, Keyamo said, “Like they say of APC, they say it's only mad men that will vote for APC. So let me return the campaign slogan. It's only irresponsible people that will vote for that type of party called NDC that defy national symbols.”
He argued that the incident could undermine the party's appeal among moderate and intellectually inclined voters, adding that its supporters might interpret the action differently.
“They have lost the cerebral and the in-betweens. They have lost them by that action. Maybe those who are downright irresponsible, they will hail them and they will vote for them. But we'll see on election day how many Nigerians are irresponsible,” he said.
However, Keyamo admitted that he was not aware of any specific legal provision prescribing punishment for Nigerians who refused to sing the current national anthem, although he maintained that the action amounted to defiance.
According to him, the legislation adopting the new anthem requires Nigerians to embrace it, but does not, to his knowledge, attach a specific criminal penalty to a refusal to sing it. He added that he would verify the legal position.
