Fani-Kayode facing public condemnation ‘withdraws’ insult on bullied journalist

A former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, has apologised for his outburst and verbal attack on the reporter of Daily Trust newspaper which took place in Calabar, Cross River State on Tuesday.

Fani-Kayode in a statement he issued on Wednesday said, “I hereby withdraw the word ‘stupid’ which I used in my encounter with a journalist in Calabar.”

Mr Fani-Kayode appeared in a video on Tuesday verbally assaulting a reporter, Charles Eyo, who asked the ex-minister if his recent tour around the country was being “bankrolled” at a press conference in Calabar.

The question, which obviously threw him off guard, elicited a near-violent reaction from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Chieftain who has been one of the most acerbic critics of President Muhammadu Buhari’s government.

This has attracted widespread condemnation from many Nigerians.

While the Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ) said FFK’s actions were “unacceptable, dishonourable and reprehensible”, Daily Trust vowed to hold the 59-year-old responsible if any harm happens to its reporter.

A fellow critic of the current administration, Omoyele Sowore, on Tuesday via Twitter, condemned Fani-Kayode for “rampaging and denigrating” the journalist.

Similarly, veteran journalist, Asaju Tunde termed Mr Fani-Kayode’s action as an “attack on journalism”.

Tunde said he is “totally angry this idiot of no compare would exhibit his madness on a hapless journalist who was only holding him accountable to the ideals he wants to be credited with”.

However, admitting to having lost his cool, the ex-minister said he was sorry as he never meant to demean journalist who has been his backbone as a public figure.

His full statement reads:

I met with my advisors till late last night and I wish to say the following. I hereby withdraw the word “stupid” which I used in my encounter with a journalist in Calabar.

I have many friends in the media who I offended by losing my cool and using such words. I hereby express my regrets for doing so.

I do however wish to state categorically that no threat of physical harm was ever made to the journalist in question and neither did I send anyone to threaten him. Anyone that says otherwise is lying and I challenge them to bring the proof.

I would never seek to physically harm a journalist. For the last 30 years, I have defended and worked with journalists and fought for the right of freedom of expression.

I am also very close to many in that profession. I would be the last to seek to disparage those that are honourable and noble within its ranks.

I hope that this will assuage the pain and anger of anyone that was hurt or offended by this ugly episode. I have now put this matter behind me and moved on. Now my tour of the South continues. Moving to yet another state today!