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Give Journalist, Arise TV 24 Hours Ultimatum to Apologise to Minister
- Safiu Kehinde
A group of aggrieved Ebonyi state youths have staged a protest against Arise TV’s presenter, Oseni Rufai, over his altercation with the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi.
NPO Reported that the duo had on Tuesday engaged in a heated argument over the cost of the ongoing Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway construction project.
Umahi had in a live programme shunned the journalist who demanded to know the cost per kilometre of the highway.
The drama began after Rufai accused Umahi of reporting him to President Bola Tinubu.
In reaction, the Minister of Works dismissed the allegation, stressing that the journalist is too small for him to report to the President.
“You’re too small for me to report you to the President. Who are you? Who are you for me to report you?” The visibly enraged former Ebonyi state governor had asked.
While urging the Umahi to hear him out, Rufai claimed to have evidence of the Minister reporting him to the President as he insisted on his demand for the cost of the highway per kilometre.
Reacting to Umahi’s confrontation by Rufai, the Ebonyi on Friday staged a protest at the state’s capital, Abakaliki.
They accused Rufai of disrespecting and embarrassing Umahi on national TV.
Addressing newsmen, the leader of the group, Damian Onu, slammed Rufai for ordering the Minister to keep quiet.
“That young man, Rufai Oseni, had the effrontery and gut to ask Dave Umahi to keep quiet.
“Who gave him the confidence? As if that was not enough, he accused him of reporting him to Mr. President. Who is Oseni Rufai for Dave with all the time he is spending from states to state’s, local governments to local governments, all the nooks and crannies of this nation, making sure that roads are done.
“So, he will have time to go and be discussing small Rufai to Mr. President? ” He asked.
The youth leader thereafter gave Rufai and Arise TV 24 hours ultimatum to apologise to Umahi, warning of continued protest if they failed to apologise to the Minister.
“We have gathered here to make a demand that Rufai Oseni of Arise Television and Arise Television, as an organisation, they are given 24 hours to tender an unreserved apology to our God-given leader.
“He is a father to the governor of Ebonyi state. Failure to do that, we will step up our demonstration” He said.
Other members of the group were seen carrying different placards with inscriptions condemning condemning Rufai while expressing solidarity with Umahi.
Some of the inscriptions read, “Umahi’s record prove his integrity and transparency”; “Nigerians are happy with Umahi’s performance”; and “Rufai is too too small to challenge Umahi” amongst others.