Demi Fani-Kayode
By viciously denigrating a journalist (NUJ) who asked him a question during a press conference, Femi Fani-Kayode, a former minister of aviation, revealed himself as an intolerant and unstable person who will not want his activities closely scrutinised by the media.
The Nigerian Union of Journalists made the declaration in its reaction to the vitriolic attack launched against Mr. Eyo Charles, reporter of Daily Trust newspaper following a question he asked Fani Kayode at a press conference in Calabar which video went viral in the social media.
The NUJ in a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday, condemned the former minister’s action, which it described as a “gangstar-like outburst” against the Cross-River State correspondent of the Daily Trust Newspaper who asked a simple question.
The journalist Union further reminded Kayode and his likes that it was the constitutional right of the journalists to monitor and keep a check on people and institutions in power.
Read the statement interallia: “it is instructive to remind Fani Kayode’s likes that it is the constitutional right of journalists to keep a check on people and institutions in power.
“By delving into politics and holding political office, Fani Kayode is conversant with the watch dog role of the media.
“For him to have embarked on 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, dishonourable and reprehensible and we demand for retraction of his untoward, irritating and awckward utterances which negate decorum and civility”.
NUJ expressed shock that the same Kayode who had in recent time used his social media handles to call leaders to account, was at same time attacking a journalist for a simple demand for him to unmask those behind his nationwide tours.
Fani Kayode has already visited six states.
