Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, has firmly denied reports suggesting that he once accused President Bola Tinubu of being involved in the 2003 killing of late Lagos governorship aspirant, Funso Williams.
Reacting to recent assertions, Fani-Kayode explained that activist Omoyele Sowore had allegedly cited remarks attributed to him from over a decade ago in an attempt to justify statements that are now facing scrutiny in a criminal defamation case.
In a statement released on Thursday, the ambassador-designate clarified that both he and former presidential media aide Reno Omokri had long ago withdrawn their earlier criticisms of Tinubu, stressing that such past comments cannot be relied upon in any defamation proceedings.
He categorically rejected the allegation, saying, “That claim is false. At no time did I say President Tinubu was responsible for the death of Funso Williams.”
Fani-Kayode explained that the remark he made 11 years ago—“I am not Funso Williams; I cannot be killed like a chicken”—had been taken out of context. He noted that he later retracted the statement, acknowledging that it was inappropriate and open to misinterpretation.
According to him, the comment was made during the heated atmosphere of the 2015 presidential election, when he served as Director of Media and Publicity for former President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He added that strong political rivalry often fuels sharp rhetoric, a situation he described as common in elections around the world.
The former minister further recalled that he exited the PDP in 2020 and officially joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2021, after which he became a committed supporter of Tinubu.
He disclosed that he later served as Director of New Media and Special Operations for Tinubu’s 2023 Presidential Campaign Organisation, overseeing a team of about 250 members and playing a significant role in securing the president’s electoral success.
Fani-Kayode maintained that since Tinubu’s inauguration, he has consistently defended the president and his administration, arguing that his continued loyalty clearly shows he holds no ill feelings toward him.
He also noted that although Reno Omokri initially opposed Tinubu during the 2023 election, Omokri has since withdrawn his criticisms following Tinubu’s victory and now supports the administration’s policies.
Describing efforts to link either himself or Omokri to Sowore’s ongoing legal challenges as “absurd,” Fani-Kayode urged Sowore to withdraw his claims about the president or be ready to substantiate them before a court of law.
© 2025 Gossip News Now, a division of CHIEJOS HARBIAN DIGITAL MEDIA LTD. Contact us via admin@gossipnewsnow.online
