* Threatens law suit against Online Magazine over False Report
By Olawale Lamina
Femi Fani-Kayode, former minister of aviation, has been reassigned as Nigeria’s ambassador-designate to South Africa after his initial posting to Germany.
Recall that there had been widespread report that the ambassador-designate to Germany was rejected by German authorities, following a report by an unnamed online newspaper. The controversy, according to the said report centered around controversial statement made by Fani-Kayode, coupled with his alleged erratic conduct.
But the former minister of aviation announced his new posting to South Africa, on Thursday, adding that President Tinubu had approved the swapping that followed.
Fani-Kayode explained that he had made a formal request to Yusuf Tuggar, the immediate past minister of foreign affairs, about not being comfortable with his Germany posting.
Fani-Kayode said: “I was not comfortable with Germany for a number of personal reasons and given the fact that I had lived in Europe most of my life I would prefer to go to South Africa which is a country that I had never been to and for which I have so much interest.
“I also expressed the fact that I would rather serve in a country that shares some of my convictions, beilefs and values when it comes to world affairs, that has the biggest economy in Africa, that has closer ties to Nigeria and that is more proximate to my political thinking when it comes to foreign affairs and a pan African vision.
“I therefore made an application for a redeployment to South Africa two days after the initial announcement was made and I am pleased to say that after the then Foreign Minister (H.E. Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar) heard my reasons he considered them favourably after which he conveyed the request to Mr. President who graciously approved it.
“I will be eternally grateful to Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for this favourable consideration.”
Based on the reshuffled that led to Fani-kayode new posting, Ita Enang, a Srnator, who was originally posted to South Africa, will now serve as Germany’s ambassador-designate in Fani-Kayode’s stead.
But in the statement announcing his re-designation to South Africa, Fani-Kayode debunked the reports that surrounded how he got reshuffled.
“I take this opportunity to once again confirm that this was my choice and that Germany NEVER formally rejected me, which was a fake report that was published in an irresponsible online magazine that thrives on sensationalism, lies and blackmail,” he said
“Their story was not only irresponsible and insulting but was also a total and complete fabrication based on hearsay, beer parlour talk and cheap gossip and designed to embarrass my good self, the Federal Government and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“Worse still they listed a number of clearly outlandish and absurd reasons for this purported and fake ‘rejection’ which they patched together and concocted reflecting the malevolent condition of their perverse imagination.”
He stated that the reports surfaced on the same day an “agreement” was sent to South Africa by the ministry of foreign affairs, which was leaked to the media house and was “maliciously” reported.
Fani-kayode revealed that he directed his legal team to file a civil defamation suit against the online newspaper.
It would be recalled that, on March 6, President Bolarin Ahmed Tinubu approved the posting of over 60 ambassadors, including Fani-Kayode, assigning them to different their host countries to market Nigeria and project the country for bilateral opportunities, including investment opportunities.
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