Former presidential spokesperson and Arise TV co-host, Dr. Reuben Abati, has responded to recent allegations made against him by Mr. Lere Olayinka, media aide to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, stating categorically that he never begged the FCT minister for financial assistance.
In a statement shared on his official social media pages on Saturday, Abati dismissed Olayinka’s claims as false, maintaining that he was not absent from Friday’s edition of The Morning Show to avoid confrontation, but because he was engaged in a pre-scheduled book review event.
Olayinka, who appeared as a guest on Arise TV on Friday, had accused Abati of bias against his principal and suggested that he should resign from the programme to become the spokesperson for former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi.
He also alleged that Abati had previously sought financial support from Wike.
Reacting, Abati said, “I have never approached Minister Nyesom Wike to beg for money. That is a lie. If anyone – including an ex-partner – went to him under false pretences to solicit funds in my name, I place a clear disclaimer.”
He added, “Such actions were not authorised by me, and Minister Wike reserves every right to call it out as fraud.”
The veteran journalist described Olayinka’s remarks as petty and beneath meaningful political discourse. “Olayinka and I are not peers. I wait for a meaningful conversation with Minister Wike, not his proxy,” Abati stated.
While Olayinka implied that Abati was dropped from Friday’s show by Arise TV, his co-host, Rufai Oseni, clarified on air that Abati had called in sick.
However, Abati provided a different account, stating that he was attending a book review for “Oprah Benson: Life and Legend,” a 550-page biography by Dr. Udu Yakubu.
He further debunked the claim that he had ties to Amaechi, saying: “I am not Rotimi Amaechi’s spokesperson, nor do I have his phone number. That’s a fabrication.”
Abati also defended his earlier criticism of Wike, whom he accused earlier in the week of being disrespectful to political mentors such as former governors Peter Odili and Amaechi.
“He is a public official occupying a public office. He is, and should remain, subject to public scrutiny. Nobody in public service is above accountability,” he said.
Touching on previous controversies, Abati clarified his status with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), stating that although he was invited for questioning, he was never asked to refund any money. “In fact, the EFCC under former chairman, Ibrahim Magu, later apologized to me,” he revealed.
He also defended the late Senator Buruji Kashamu, whom he once worked with, noting that accusations against him were never proven in court.
“Until his death, he was never convicted of any crime either in Nigeria or abroad. Persisting in amplifying unproven accusations against the deceased is in poor taste and ethically questionable,” he said.
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