October 30, (THEWILL) – A member of the defunct Presidential Campaign Council of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Jesutega Onokpasa, on Monday morning, slammed Arise News anchor, Rufai Oseni, calling him a “badly brought up little boy” on live television show.
Onokpasa and Oseni clashed while the former appeared as a guest to speak on President Bola Tinubu’s legal victory at the Supreme Court on the 2023 presidential election during the TV station’s breakfast show, ‘The Morning Show’.
While responding to a question about life being harder for Nigerians as a result of fuel subsidy removal, Onokpasa, who is a lawyer, said Tinubu did not remove fuel subsidy.
His words: “Bola Tinubu did not remove fuel subsidy. The law does not even allow you to pay fuel subsidy. That is the em..em..em…em..em.. PIA Act. Since that Act was passed, we were paying subsidy unlawfully. The previous government was comfortable with breaking the law.
“I think we would’ve had a greater problem today if that subsidy had continued. It’s not President Tinubu who removed subsidy. That is fake news.
“Thankfully the Supreme Court has affirmed who is the President of Nigeria and he is the President Nigerians voted for, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
“Let’s give our President some time. Let’s not pretend as if hunger came to Nigeria today. Did hunger come to Nigeria because of Bola Tinubu?”
But, reacting to the guest’s assertions, Oseni said: “Mr Onokpasa, I put it to you that you came here to misrepresent the facts against subsidy removal. President Tinubu announced subsidy is gone on inauguration day, so you saying he didn’t remove subsidy by quoting the PIA law that has been there for a while is misrepresenting the facts…”
Onokpasa interrupted Oseni and threatened to walk out of the studio while pointing his finger at the journalist.
“You may as well take your decision [to leave] if you want to,” Oseni responded.
Oseni, thereafter, asked another question about the economy being on a downward spiral since President Tinubu assumed power.
The guest fired back immediately, saying; “That is a lie. You are a liar. Do you know what you are doing? You are practising sensationalism. You are pretending to be a journalist. What is the matter with you? Don’t talk rudely to me. I am your guest. You will respect me,” Onokpasa added.
The TV host proceeded to quiz him further about the crashing naira-dollar exchange rate.
Onokpasa later refused to respond to Oseni’s questions as he accused the latter of disrespecting him.
“You are a badly brought up little boy, you can never be my mate,” Onokpasa said before the show went on a break to ease the tension when another Anchor, Dr. Reuben Abati, intervened.
