Fani Kayode, Former Minister of Aviation, blasted Daily Trust Newspaper, Correspondent, Eyo Charles, who asked him a bankrolling question over his activities on the social media.
According to the Daily Trust newspaper, the NUJ described Fani-Kayode’s outburst as reprehensible. The newspaper urged the Police to note the threat against its reporter by the former minister.
Curiously, Fani Kayode, in a series of tweets, likened himself to former President Olusegun Obasanjo and US President Donald Trump.
NUJ President Chris Isiguzo described Fani Kayode’s behavior as unacceptable and condemnable and asked him to apologize for assaulting the reporter and threatening him.
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Said Isiguzo’s statement, “Fani Kayode assaulted the journalist and threatened him for daring to ask such a question.
“By denigrating the journalist, Fani Kayode has exposed himself the more as an intolerant and unstable person who will not want his activities closely scrutinized by the Media.
“It is instructive to remind the likes of Fani Kayode that it is the Constitutional right of Journalists to monitor and keep a check on people and institutions in power.
“By delving into politics and holding political office, Fani Kayode is very conversant with the watchdog role of the media.
“For him to have embarked on an assessment of projects in some states, even though we are yet to be told under what platform, he is doing so, it is proper for the media to hold him to account for his actions and decisions.
“His reaction was totally unacceptable, dishonorable and reprehensible and we demand a retraction of his untoward, irritating and awkward utterances which negate simple decorum and civility.
“We are more shocked that the same Kayode who had in recent times, used his social media handles to call leaders to account is at the same time attacking a Journalist for a simple demand for him to unmask those behind his nationwide tour. He had already visited six states. This is indeed, terribly disappointing”.
In his own tweets, Fani Kayode sought to justify his actions in the viral video. Wrote he: “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.
“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 apologized to me during the press conference & sent his apologies to me after the conference.
“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.
“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”.
NUJ said Fani-Kayode’s reaction was “reprehensible, dishonorable and irritating” while the IPC said it was “repulsive”.
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