Fani-Kayode Denies Accusing Tinubu of Killing Funso Williams, Tackles Sowore
Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, has denied claims that he ever accused President Bola Tinubu of being responsible for the killing of former Lagos State governorship candidate, Chief Funso Williams.
Fani-Kayode said human rights activist Omoyele Sowore wrongly attributed such remarks to him while defending himself in an ongoing defamation case.
He made the clarification in a post on X on Thursday, saying that Sowore referred to comments he allegedly made about Tinubu more than a decade ago in an attempt to justify his position in court.
Fani-Kayode insisted that he never accused the president of killing Williams, who was murdered at his Ikoyi residence in July 2006.
He said, “He claimed that I said that President Tinubu killed Chief Funso Williams in 2003. This is false. I never said that President Tinubu killed Funso Williams.”
According to the former minister, the remark being referenced was made during the 2015 presidential campaign when he served as Director of Media and Publicity for the Goodluck Jonathan campaign organisation under the Peoples Democratic Party.
He said his exact words at the time were, “I am not Funso Williams; I cannot be killed like a chicken,” stressing that the statement did not accuse Tinubu of murder.
Fani-Kayode added that he later withdrew the remark, admitting it was inappropriate and open to misinterpretation.
He said, “I said those words 11 years ago and I have long since retracted them and accepted the fact that they were not only inappropriate but that they may have also been misconstrued.”
He described Sowore’s decision to revive the comment as an act of desperation, arguing that statements made during heated political campaigns should not be relied upon after they have been withdrawn.
Fani-Kayode noted that strong rhetoric was common on all sides during the 2015 election period.
He also pointed out that he left the PDP six years ago and joined the All Progressives Congress in 2021, after which he became an active supporter of Tinubu.
He said he later served as Director of New Media and Special Operations in Tinubu’s 2023 presidential campaign, leading a team of about 250 people.
Fani-Kayode added that he has remained consistent in supporting the administration since Tinubu assumed office, saying he would not do so if he had any doubts about the president.
He also dismissed attempts to link Reno Omokri, a former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, to the matter, saying Omokri had already retracted his past criticisms of Tinubu and now defends the president’s policies.
He said, “For Sowore to try to rope me or Reno into his matter to justify his behaviour is absurd.”
Fani-Kayode urged Sowore to withdraw his statements about the president or be prepared to defend them in court.
He said, “I believe Sowore should cultivate that courage and accept that what he said about the President was also wrong and totally unacceptable.
“If he refuses to do so he should be ready to prove his case in court or face the consequences of his words and actions.”
Fani-Kayode also praised Tinubu’s leadership style, describing the president as magnanimous for accommodating former opponents.
He said this, in his view, reflects the president’s decency and humanity and explains why many who once disagreed with him now support his administration.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
