By Femi Fani-Kayode

I was informed that Omoyele Sowore recently referred to statements I allegedly made about President Bola Tinubu over a decade ago while responding to a defamation case currently involving him. He claimed that I once said President Tinubu killed Chief Funso Williams in 2003. That is incorrect.

What I actually said was: “I am not Funso Williams; I cannot be killed like a chicken.” Those were my exact words—nothing more and nothing less. I made that remark during the 2015 election season and have since retracted it, acknowledging that it was inappropriate and capable of being misconstrued.

It is surprising that statements made more than 11 years ago, and long since withdrawn, are now being referenced again. At the time, I was in the opposition PDP and served as Director of Media and Publicity for President Jonathan’s Presidential Campaign Organisation. As is common in political contests worldwide, strong and sometimes regrettable language was exchanged during the heat of the campaign.

For the record, I left the PDP in 2021 and joined the APC. I later served as Director of New Media and Special Operations in President Tinubu’s 2023 Presidential Campaign Organisation, leading a directorate of over 250 people who worked extensively for his victory. Since the President was sworn in, I have remained consistent in my support for his administration.

If I had serious reservations about him, I would not have invested such effort in supporting his campaign and government.

I therefore find it unnecessary for either Reno Omokri or myself to be drawn into Sowore’s legal matter. Reno opposed President Tinubu’s election in 2023, but after the President’s victory, he reviewed and withdrew earlier criticisms and has since supported several government policies. That is a decision he took based on his own assessment of events.

Rather than involving others, it would be more constructive for Sowore to focus on addressing the issues raised in his case and, where necessary, clarify or retract statements he believes may have been misunderstood.

Reno, myself, and many others have taken a clear stance in support of President Tinubu. We also accepted that some of our past remarks were inappropriate and took responsibility for correcting them. Doing so requires reflection and restraint, qualities that are valuable in public discourse.

Ultimately, it reflects President Tinubu’s character that he can accommodate former opponents and work with those who once disagreed with him. That openness is one reason many continue to support him, regardless of political disagreements that naturally arise in a democratic society.