National anthem: 'They need one other nation' – Keyamo calls Obi, NDC secessionists

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, has accused the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, of displaying secessionist tendencies by singing Nigeria’s former nationwide anthem moderately than the formally recognised one.

At the occasion, the anchor reportedly requested attendees to face for the nationwide anthem. However, Obi, Funso Doherty, the social gathering’s Lagos governorship candidate, and a few supporters allegedly remained seated when the present anthem, “Nigeria, We Hail Thee,” was performed.

In a publish on X on Saturday evening, Keyamo responded to the incident and rejected comparisons with the marketing campaign music utilized by supporters of President Bola Tinubu.

He wrote: “Let me educate some mischievous persons who try to equate singing the ‘On Your Mandate’ song, which is used to serenade President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, with singing an outlawed anthem in place of a legally approved National Anthem.

“At no point have supporters of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu sung ‘On Your Mandate’ as the National Anthem. The National Anthem is sung on every occasion to acknowledge one of our most important national symbols. Afterwards, the President’s supporters serenade him with ‘On Your Mandate’.”

The minister mentioned Obi was entitled to make use of any music for political functions, together with the nation’s former anthem, however maintained that it ought to be carried out solely earlier than or after the formally recognised National Anthem.

Keyamo added, “No one is preventing Peter Obi from adopting a song—even the old anthem—as his own. However, it must be sung either before or after the legally recognised National Anthem has received its due recognition.”

He additionally defined that utilizing musical devices to announce the President’s arrival or introduce his speech was a longtime a part of presidential protocol.

According to Keyamo, the Police Band might play varied instrumental items to mark the President’s entrance or handle, with the choice relying on the event.

He referred to the administrations of Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari, noting that the Police Band routinely performed instrumental music when the presidents arrived on the National Assembly or ready to deal with an viewers.

“In this case, the Police Band sometimes plays the instrumental version of ‘On Your Mandate’ to herald the President’s speech. This happens after the National Anthem has been played,” he mentioned.

Keyamo additionally famous that a number of Nigerian states have adopted their very own anthems, emphasizing that these are historically carried out solely after the nationwide anthem.

He concluded that the NDC’s option to sing the previous anthem as an alternative of the present one signaled a secessionist ambition.

“Singing an outlawed anthem in place of the legally approved national anthem by the NDC surely expresses a desire to establish a separate country, which is an element of a secessionist group,” the minister declared.