Pascal Oparada
Following public outcry over the abuse of a journalist with the Daily Trust newspapers, former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode has issued an apology to the reporter.
In a tweet, on Wednesday, Fani-Kayode said he has withdrawn the word ‘stupid’ which he used in his encounter with the journalist, Charles Eyo in Calabar last week.
“I met with my advisors & 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 & using such words. I hereby express my regrets for doing so, ” he tweeted.
Fani-Kayode said he never threatened to physically harm the reporter and challenged anyone with proof to come forward.
“..I would never seek to physically harm a journalist. For the last 30 years I have defended & worked with journalists & 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 honorable 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 another state today,” he said.
Daily Trust had in a statement defended the reporter against Fani-Kayode’s verbal abuse and said they would hold the former minister responsible should any harm come to their reporter.
In the viral video, Fani-Kayode was seen calling Eyo stupid after he asked the former minister who was bankrolling his tour of the South-South states in Nigeria.
The encounter infuriated many people who called Fani-Kayode’s outburst uncouthly and ill-mannered and called on him to apologise and withdraw his insults.
The Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) condemned the act and called on Fani-Kayode to apologise.
The erstwhile had in an earlier tweet doubled down on his encounter with the journalist and said he was not going to apologise.
He called the question an insult and said the NUJ misunderstood him.
