•Minister accuses Obi of planning secession
• Ex-Anambra gov didn’t stop new National Anthem, NDC fights back
. Accuses APC of sponsoring political attacks
Chinedu Eze in Lagos and Sunday Aborisade in Abuja
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, yesterday engaged in war of words over the minister’s allegation that the presidential candidate of the opposition party, Mr. Peter Obi and the members of the party, sang the old National Anthem at the recent town hall meeting held by the party in Lagos.
Keyamo had in his verified Twitter (X) account said that by defying to sing the new national anthem, Obi and his group might be planning to break away from Nigeria.
But in a swift response, the NDC dismissed allegations against its presidential candidate, describing them as unfounded, baseless and politically-motivated.
The party accused Keyamo of exhibiting selective amnesia in his assessment of the Lagos incident, insisting that Obi neither instructed supporters not to sing the national anthem nor attempted to undermine the country’s national symbols.
In a response to the minister’s allegations, through its National Publicity Secretary Osa Director, the NDC maintained that the incident was a spontaneous expression of defiance by some supporters against what it described as the poor governance of the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration and the alleged deployment of political thugs to attack its members during the gathering.
The party argued that Keyamo deliberately ignored the circumstances surrounding the incident, particularly the reported attack on the NDC supporters, while attempting to portray Obi in a negative light.
It stated, “Keyamo’s allegations are hair-splitting, unfounded and baseless. As characteristic of the APC, he exhibited selective amnesia in his assessment.
“He forgot to state that Obi did not ask the crowd not to sing the national anthem. What happened was a spontaneous act of defiance to the ruinous reign of the APC and the hired thugs they sent to attack the NDC members,” the party added.
The opposition party further disclosed that while some supporters expressed their displeasure through the rendition of the old national anthem, other participants at the same venue continued to recite the current national anthem.
According to the party, the development contradicted any suggestion that Obi or the NDC leadership deliberately organised an action to disrespect the country’s national anthem.
It said, “At another end of the same hall, people recited the national anthem.”
The NDC also questioned the significance of the controversy, arguing that the mere public rendition of the national anthem by members of the ruling party had not translated into improved governance or better living conditions for Nigerians.
Taking a swipe at Keyamo and the APC, the party declared that displaying outward loyalty to national symbols should not be confused with the capacity to provide effective leadership.
“In any case, he should realise that the hood does not make the monk. Since the APC has been reciting the national anthem, where has it led Nigeria?” the party queried.
The opposition party accused the minister and the ruling party of deliberately shifting public attention from the alleged attack on its supporters and the country’s worsening political and economic challenges to what it described as unnecessary personality attacks against Obi.
It argued that the controversy reflected the APC’s inability to engage the opposition candidate on substantive issues of governance, national development and the welfare of Nigerians.
The NDC maintained that its presidential candidate remained committed to national unity, democratic values and peaceful political engagement, while accusing the APC of using the controversy to distract Nigerians from pressing national concerns.
Keyamo had described the act of singing the old national anthem as one of the ingredients of secession.
He insisted that by approving the singing of a different national anthem, Obi was allegedly officially leading a secessionist group.
“National Anthem is one of a country’s national symbols. It represents a country’s history, values and sovereignty. It is meant to unite citizens.
“When a group of people decide to defy it and sing something different from what others are signing as prescribed by law, that group is preparing grounds to break away from the country. It is one of the ingredients of secession. And once the leader of such a group endorses the action, it means the group is then officially a secessionist movement.
“I am therefore, officially calling on the original ‘countryman’, my classmate, my friend and a man of considerable courage from our school days, Senator Seriake Dickson, the official leader of the NDC, to within 48 hours speak up as to whether the NDC officially endorses a proscribed anthem as its own national symbol. The world is waiting,” he said.