Former Minister of Aviation Femi Fani-Kayode has denied claims that he ever accused President Bola Tinubu of being responsible for the killing of Funso Williams, a former Lagos governorship aspirant.
In a post on X on Thursday, Mr Fani-Kayode said Omoyele Sowore, publisher of SaharaReporters, cited remarks he allegedly made 11 years ago in an attempt to justify himself in an ongoing defamation case.
Fani-Kayode said Mr Sowore claimed he once alleged that President Tinubu killed Williams, who was murdered in his Ikoyi residence in July 2006.
He said the claim was false.
“He claimed that I said that President Tinubu killed Chief Funso Williams. This is false. I never said that President Tinubu killed Funso Williams,” Fani-Kayode said.
He explained that the comment being referenced was made during the 2015 presidential election campaign, when he was a member of the Peoples Democratic Party and served as director of media and publicity for former President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign.
According to him, his exact words at the time were, “I am not Funso Williams; I cannot be killed like a chicken.”
He said the statement did not accuse Tinubu of murder.
Fani-Kayode said the remark was made during a political campaign and was later withdrawn, adding that it was wrong to rely on campaign statements to justify a legal defence years later.
He noted that political campaigns often involve strong rhetoric, adding that he left the PDP six years ago and joined the All Progressives Congress in 2021.
He said he later served as director of new media and special operations for Tinubu’s 2023 presidential campaign and has remained a supporter of the administration since Tinubu assumed office.
According to him, he would not support the president if he believed the claims now being attributed to him.
Fani-Kayode also rejected attempts to link former presidential aide Reno Omokri to Sowore’s case, saying Mr Omokri had retracted his past criticisms of Tinubu after the 2023 election and now supports the administration.
“For Sowore to try to rope me or Reno into his matter to justify his behaviour is absurd,” he said.
He urged Sowore to retract his statements about Tinubu or prepare to defend them in court.
“I believe Sowore should accept that what he said about the President was wrong and unacceptable,” Fani-Kayode said.
“If he refuses to do so, he should be ready to prove his case in court or face the consequences.”
Fani-Kayode concluded by restating his support for Tinubu and said his continued backing of the president reflects his position since joining the APC.
