A former minister of aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode is currently trending across various media for verbally attacking a journalist, Eyo Charles, who asked him a question at a press conference in Calabar, Cross River State, last week.
The ex-minister is said to have flared up during his tour of some Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) states, which saw him pay a visit to Benedict Ayade’s Cross River last week.
Daily Times gathered that at the end of the tour, Mr. Kayode held a press conference where he heaped adulations on Ben Ayade, the Cross River state governor.
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Eyo, a reporter with Daily Trust, had asked the ex-minister the source of the funding of his recent trips, provoking Kayode to a charged verbal outburst.
Fani-Kayode called the reporter “very stupid”, and warned the journalists on ground not to try such nonsense with him.
“I am saying this on live TV. What type of stupid question is that? Bankrolling who? Do you know who you are talking to? I will not take any questions from this man,” he said.
“What type of insulting question is that? Which bankroll? To do what? Who can give me money for anything? Who do you think you are talking to? Go and report yourself to your publisher? Please don’t insult me here. I don’t want to take any questions from this man.
“I could see from your face before you got here, how stupid you are. Don’t ever talk to me like that. Who do you think you’re talking to. Bankroll who? You think I am one of those ones you… from who, when, how? You have a small mind, very small mind. Don’t judge me by your own standards.
“I have been in politics since 1990… I have been locked up many times by this government. Suffered. I have been persecuted unlike most of the politicians you follow for brown envelope. Don’t ever judge me by that standard. I spend I don’t take and I am not a poor man — I have never been and I will never be.
“Bankroll how? Don’t ever suggest that to me. I am sorry that was deeply insulting. I don’t often get annoyed in press conference. I have been doing this type of thing for so many years. Don’t you ever make that kind of suggestion to me. Bankroll who? A former minister, a lawyer? Don’t ever try that with me again o, please. You see me well, don’t ever. Try it with others, but with me, don’t! I will hit you hard and if anybody sent you to ask that question and gave you brown envelope, go and tell them that you got more than they bargained for to do it.
“Very rude. It is not the standard of gaining trust at all and I will report you to your publisher. Thank you. Somebody that has been on the road for how long, you are coming to talk about that. Very stupid.”
The ex-minister ultimately stormed out of the venue, raining insults on the reporter as he stormed his way out. Christian Ita, chief press secretary to Governor Ayade had tried to mollify Fani-Kayode, but the infuriated Kayode continued his verbal assaults as he charged out of the press conference.
“You can go ahead and write your rubbish. I have marked you” he said as he charged out.
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