Nigerian politician and lawyer, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode (FFK) has tendered a public apology for his disparaging remarks against a journalist during an interview.
The 59-year-old politician came under fire when he was captured live on camera degrading a journalist for asking him what he referred to as “stupid question”.
He also referred to the said journalist as a “stupid” man in the heat of the moment. That ugly incidence fuelled lots of public criticism against Fani-Kayode. But he seems to have realised he should have handled the matter in a more democratic way.
In a series of tweets, Fani-Kayode pointed out that he is a champion of freedom of speech, but will not accept any insult aimed at him.
He further apologized for using the word ‘stupid’ on the media man.
“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 wrote on Twitter
He also debunked the accusations that he had planned to caused physical harm to the journalist because he insulted him.
“..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 exiression. I am also very close to many in that profession. I would be the last to seek to disparage those that are,” he stated via twitter.