Atiku demands public apology from Fani-Kayode over coup post
Atiku Demands Public Apology from Fani-Kayode Over Coup Post
Social media was abuzz last week when Fani-Kayode, a former Aviation Minister, posted a tweet which was seen by many as an endorsement of a possible military coup in Nigeria. The tweet was widely condemned and the former VP, Atiku Abubakar was not going to let it go unpunished.
About the Tweet
The tweet by Fani-Kayode read “We must never ever again allow a cabal of bloodthirsty tyrants to hijack our country under any guise whatsoever. If a coup is deemed necessary by the people then so be it.”
The statement was seen as an endorsement of a possible coup, and it also criticize the current state of the country, obviously in reference to the government of the day.
Atiku’s Response
The former VP responded to Fani-Kayode’s tweet with a tweet of his own, saying that he was “shocked and horrified” that the former Aviation Minister would even consider endorsing the use of force or violence as a means of resolving problems in the country.
Atiku added that he was demanding a public apology from Fani-Kayode for his “irresponsible” statement.
Reactions from the Public
Public reactions to Fani-Kayode’s tweet were expectedly divided, with many people condemning the statement and others defending it.
Those who criticized the statement argued that a coup is a violation of the Constitution and such a statement should not be endorsed, while those who defended it argued that if the government fails to serve the people, then it should be removed from power by any means necessary.
Will Fani-Kayode Apologize?
At the end of the day, the public awaits to see if indeed Fani-Kayode will apologize for his controversial statement. If he does, then it would go a long way in restoring some of the goodwill that has been lost in recent times.
Conclusion
Coups are never the answer to problems in any nation and they should be condemned in the strongest possible words. Atiku’s demand for a public apology from Fani-Kayode is thus justified, and hopefully the former Aviation Minister will take the high road.
Nigerian presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar has demanded an apology from the former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, following Mr. Fani-Kayode’s claims that a Military coup was set to take place in Nigeria during the 2019 general election.
In a now-deleted tweet, Mr. Fani-Kayode, accused the former Vice President of colluding with some influential individuals in the military to oust President Muhammadu Buhari following the release of the results of the election.
In a statement released by Mr. Atiku’s spokesman, Paul Ibe, he described the accusation as “false and malicious”, adding that the former Vice President did not conspire with anyone to overthrow Buhari.
He further stated that Atiku had been an avid believer of a peaceful transition of power, and would never involve himself with anyone who planned to destabilise the democracy in Nigeria.
Ibe went on to demand an apology from Mr. Fani-Kayode, insisting that the former Aviation Minister spread the falsehood without any proof to substantiate his claims. He further stated that if no apology is provided, Mr. Atiku would take legal action against Mr. Fani-Kayode.
Atiku’s demands come after several Nigerians condemned the false claims of Mr. Fani-Kayode, including the former President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, and the former Minister of Interior, Abba Moro.