Femi Fani-Kayode, previous Minister of Aviation in Nigeria, has explained why he lashed out at a journalist at a press conference in Calabar, Cross Rivers state on August 20.
A video of the Minister lashing out at the journalist surfaced online today (Read here) and has been met with different reactions. Most people however condemned the Minister for speaking to the journalist in a derogatory manner.
In a tweet thread shared this evening, the Minister 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 previous 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”. 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've no apology to offer for it. The young man apologised to me during the press conference & sent his apologies to me after the conference.
I've accepted his apologies & moved on. I've 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's 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.
.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.”