‘I didn’t say Tinubu killed Funsho Williams’, Femi Fani-Kayode reacts to Sowore’s claims

*Says ‘Reno Omokri and I retracted harsh criticism of Tinubu years ago’

*Explains ‘My statement then was: “I am not Funsho Williams; I cannot be killed like a chicken”’

*How this de-authenticate court evidence remains unknown – Source

*Says this line of denials may provoke Sowore to spill more evidences from anywhere, any how 

*As questions of ‘Who killed Funsho Williams’ reopen

By KEMI KASUMU

In the meantime, this by Fani-Kayode has reopened the questions about “Who killed Funsho” as it is said that criminal case lasts forever until justice is done.

Weeks after pro-democracy activist, Omoyele Sowore, presented a video played live during court proceeding in Abuja of how Reno Omokri, through use of global channels, called President Bola Ahmed Tinubu a “drug lord” as an evidence to justify his claim of the president being ‘a criminal’, former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, has added his voice to a denial by Omokri, saying both he and the former presidential aide have long retracted previous harsh criticisms made against Tinubu.

He said this while dismissing attempts to link them with a defamation case involving activist, according to media reports.

Fani-Kayode made the clarification following claims that Sowore had referenced statements allegedly made by him about Tinubu over a decade ago in a bid to justify comments that are now the subject of a criminal defamation case.

According to Fani-Kayode, a lawyer, Sowore falsely claimed that he had accused Tinubu of being responsible for the death of former Lagos State governorship candidate, Chief Funsho Williams, in 2003.

“That allegation is untrue. I never said that President Tinubu killed Funso Williams,” Fani-Kayode said.

He explained that the statement he made 11 years ago was: “I am not Funso Williams; I cannot be killed like a chicken,” adding that the remark had since been withdrawn and acknowledged as inappropriate and capable of being misconstrued.

Fani-Kayode said the comments were made during the 2015 presidential election campaign, when he served as Director of Media and Publicity of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s Presidential Campaign Organisation under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He noted that intense political rivalries during election campaigns often lead to harsh exchanges, describing such occurrences as common in political contests worldwide.

The former minister further stated that he left the PDP in 2020 and joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2021, after which he became a staunch supporter of Tinubu.

He said he later played a key role as Director of New Media and Special Operations in Tinubu’s 2023 Presidential Campaign Organisation, leading a directorate of about 250 people and contributing to the president’s electoral victory.

Fani-Kayode added that he has continued to support and defend President Tinubu and his administration since the president was sworn into office, insisting that his actions demonstrate that he harbours no misgivings against the president.

He also stated that although Reno Omokri opposed Tinubu’s candidacy during the 2023 election, Omokri had since retracted his criticisms after the president’s victory and now supports his policies.

Fani-Kayode described attempts to associate himself or Omokri with Sowore’s legal troubles as “absurd,” urging Sowore to retract his statements about the president or be prepared to defend them in court.

He concluded by praising President Tinubu for what he described as magnanimity and tolerance, noting that the president had shown openness by welcoming former critics into his political fold.

Omokri and Fani-Kayode are among the ambassadorial nominees recently appointed by Tinubu. The duo who were harsh critics of the president and the ruling party have been heavily criticised, particularly on social media.

In the meantime, a source, who does not want his name in print or mentioned in any form, has however asked to know how the latest denialsvciming from Fani-Kayode will de-authenticate the evidence the court has already admitted against President Tinubu from the Sowore who he described as “a hard to crack shell”.

Concluding he said, “What the court, in exercisation of its integrity as the last hope of the people, will need Femi Fani-Kayode, Reno Omokri, Department of State Services (DSS) and their lawyers to say before it is “how does this denial de-authenticate the evidence available?

“Did Omokri stage the London protest or not? Did he go on television or any media channel to call Tinubu a drug lord and Tinubu never denied being so or he did not? Did Fani-Kayode say what he said or not? Were both of them now compensated with ambassadorial appointments or not? If yes, how did they merit appointments despite releasing damaging information of that magnitude to global consciousness? These questions the court would ask in advanced democracy not to give its consideration on who is in power or not,” he said, adding that the denials after having been compensated with Ambassadorial appointments will likely provoke the spill of more evidences from Sowore.

In the meantime, this by Fani-Kayode has reopened the questions about “Who killed Funsho” as it is said that criminal case lasts forever until justice is done.