Lere Olayinka, media aide to Nyesom Wike, has asked Reuben Abati to resign his role as a television host and take up the position of spokesperson to Rotimi Amaechi.
Speaking on ‘The Morning Show’, an Arise Television breakfast programme, on Friday, Olayinka faulted Abati for his tirade against Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT).
Abati, a former presidential spokesperson and co-host of the programme, was not in the studio for the day’s edition of ‘The Morning Show’ when Olayinka came calling.
Background
During an event organised to mark his 60th birthday, Amaechi, former minister of transportation and ex-Rivers governor, said like millions of Nigerians, he is “hungry”.
Amaechi noted that with the help of the opposition, President Bola Tinubu can be removed from office in the 2027 election.
During a media chat on Monday, Wike took a swipe at Amaechi over the hunger remark, dismissing it as “politically motivated”.
The FCT minister said Amaechi could not have been hungry for food after twenty years in several political positions.
On Tuesday, Abati tore into Wike for his criticism of Amaechi, adding that the FCT minister is being “disrespectful and rude” to those who played significant roles in his political career.
‘Abati Should Focus On His Spokesperson Job’
In a riposte to Abati on Friday, Olayinka commended the management of Arise Television over the claim that Abati was asked to excuse himself from today’s programme.
The media aide accused Abati of being unprofessional by taking sides with Amaechi against the FCT minister.
“Mr Reuben Abati is not here. I was not expecting him to be here because he took the position of special assistant on media to Rotimi Amaechi,” Olayinka said.
“I was thinking that to be professional and operate normally, Reuben Abati would not be among persons who will sit in the studio to interview me.
“Probably, he has been appointed as special assistant on media to Rotimi Amaechi because I watched him speaking here some days ago.
“I was shocked to hear him turn himself into the spokesperson of Amaechi. I want to suggest that since he is spokesperson to Amaechi, he should excuse himself from Arise TV and go and do his job properly.”
Olayinka claimed that Abati did not consider Wike “rude and disrespectful” when he sought the FCT minister’s assistance some years ago.
During the programme, Rufai Oseni, another co-host, countered Olayinka on insinuations that Abati was asked to stay away from the show.
Oseni said Abati had called in sick
