Femi Fani-Kayode Discusses Atiku's Role in Airways Pension Debate

Femi Fani-Kayode, the former Minister of Aviation, revealed that he is aware of the position taken by former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar during the Federal Executive Council (FEC) debate regarding unpaid pensions for Nigeria Airways workers under the Olusegun Obasanjo administration. However, Fani-Kayode stated he would not publicly disclose whether Atiku supported or opposed the payment.

He made these comments in a post on 𝕏 while responding to Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo's accusations of hypocrisy against Atiku regarding his criticism of President Bola Tinubu's economic management. Fani-Kayode explained that in 2006, he presented a memorandum to the FEC to approve the payment of outstanding pensions owed to former Nigeria Airways employees, following recommendations from a committee led by Yayale Ahmed.

The memorandum was rejected by cabinet members who blamed former airline officials for its collapse. Fani-Kayode defended Obasanjo against claims that his administration caused the airline's downfall, attributing it instead to corruption and mismanagement from 1979 to 1999.