The Akwa Ibom council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) has directed its members to boycott any press conference or media activity by a former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode.
The directive was contained in a statement issued on Friday by the chairman of the council, Amos Etuk, and the council’s secretary, Dominic Akpan.
The statement informed all chapels in the state that “in line with the disposition of the national leadership of our great Union, the State Council has directed that no journalist should attend a media parley with Femi Fani-Kayode or any of his activity at any location in Akwa Ibom State. The NUJ is not part of the visit.”
Fani-Kayode announced his arrival in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom state capital, on Thursday, after stirring a storm in neighbouring Cross River State where he insulted a journalist for asking him what he described as a “stupid question” at a press conference after his tour of the State.
At a press conference in Calabar, Cross River state capital, Eyo Charles, a journalist with Daily Trust, had asked a question about who was bankrolling Fani-Kayode’s curious recent tour of some states to inspect infrastructure projects.
The former Minister felt offended by the question and openly insulted the journalist, referring to him as “very stupid”.
“I could see from your face before you got here, how stupid you are. Don’t ever talk to me like that. Who do you think you’re talking to. You have a small mind, a very small mind,” he had said.
His comments had generated widespread criticism from many Nigerians and groups, including the NUJ which described him as “intolerant and unstable”.
Following more criticisms of his action, Fani-Kayode later regretted his use of the word, “stupid,” and apologised to his “friends in the media”, without apologising to the affected journalist.
