Femi Fani-Kayode, former Minister of Aviation in Nigeria, has lashed out at a journalist during a press conference in Calabar, Cross Rivers state on August 20.
Fani-Kayode, recently took a tour of some South-South and southeast states and as part of his activities, had media briefings with some of the journalists in the state.
At the press conference in Cross Rivers state, the journalist identified as Eyo Charles of Daily Trust newspaper asked him if he was being “bankrolled by any politician or political group.”
The Minister, in a video which has since gone viral, slammed the journalist for asking him a ‘stupid question’.
His action has since been met with outrage from many Nigerians, who condemned the Minister for speaking to the journalist in a derogatory manner.
In reaction to the backlash, the Minister in a tweet thread explained what transpired and why he got angry when the journalist spoke to him.
He said the journalist made an assertion and did not ask a question when he said “Well we do not know who is bankrolling you”.
The former Minister said he felt insulted by the ‘assertion’ and would offer no one any apology for the way he reacted. He stated that he believes that the journalist was sent to him by his political enemies.
His tweet reads;
During my tour of the South and after a long and successful press conference in Calabar, Cross Rivers state, a journalist put up his hand for the last question and said, “Well we do not know who is bankrolling you”.
During my tour of the South and after a long and successful press conference in Calabar, Cross Rivers state, a journalist put up his hand for the last question and said,
“Well we do not know who is bankrolling you”.
This is not a question but an assertion and an insult…1/4 pic.twitter.com/uWImIknjN3
— Femi Fani-Kayode (@realFFK) August 25, 2020
This is not a question but an assertion and an insult and if this insulting ASSERTION were made before Trump or OBJ I know how they would have reacted. Above is my response & I have no apology to offer for it. The young man apologised to me during the press conference & sent his apologies to me after the conference.
…And if this insulting ASSERTION were made before Trump or OBJ I know how they would have reacted. Above is my response & I have no apology to offer for it. The young man apologised to me during the press conference & sent his apologies to me after the conference.. 2/4
— Femi Fani-Kayode (@realFFK) August 25, 2020
I have accepted his apologies & moved on. I have always had respect for journalists & always will. Those of them that know me or worked with or for me over the last 30 years can attest to that. However there is a distinction between asking a question & offering an insult.
..I have accepted his apologies & moved on. I have always had respect for journalists & always will. Those of them that know me or worked with or for me over the last 30 years can attest to that. However there is a distinction between asking a question & offering an insult.3/4
— Femi Fani-Kayode (@realFFK) August 25, 2020
This is all the more so when it is clear that the assertion was sponsored and engineered by my political enemies who wanted to use the young man to insult and embarrass me and question my integrity. Well they got more than they bargained for.
…This is all the more so when it is clear that the assertion was sponsored and engineered by my political enemies who wanted to use the young man to insult and embarrass me and question my integrity. Well they got more than they bargained for. 4/5
— Femi Fani-Kayode (@realFFK) August 25, 2020
I repeat this was not a question but an assertion and an gratutious insult and I will not accept that from any man born of woman. Thank you.
…I repeat this was not a question but an assertion and an gratutious insult and I will not accept that from any man born of woman. Thank you.
— Femi Fani-Kayode (@realFFK) August 25, 2020
Watch video of the incident below;
Video of a formal minister in the poverty capital of the world attacking a journalist doing his job. pic.twitter.com/YyIKDdKhRD
— Daniel Omokhojie (@ikhanvbode) August 25, 2020
