By Sunday Ameh
The Director of Abuja School of Social and Political Thoughts, Dr Sam Amadi, and Arise News Political Director, Akin Osuntokun, have criticised the conduct of Lere Olayinka, spokesperson to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, during a recent television interview.
The criticism followed Olayinka’s clash with Arise News anchor, Rufai Oseni, during Friday’s edition of The Morning Show, which ended abruptly after a heated exchange.
Olayinka had declined to respond to Oseni’s questions concerning Wike’s position on the controversy surrounding members of President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 campaign council.
The minister’s aide reportedly said he would not answer questions from Oseni, insisting that he preferred to engage with “reasonable human beings.”
Another anchor, Ayo Mairo, challenged Olayinka’s position, arguing that Oseni was a legitimate member of the programme and that Olayinka should have expected his participation before accepting the interview.
Reacting to the incident, Amadi said Olayinka missed an opportunity to communicate the government’s position and reach the wider audience watching the programme.
He argued that public officials appearing on television should focus on communicating their message rather than engaging in personal confrontations.
According to Amadi, the incident was a “disgraceful performance” that could have been avoided, while urging both media practitioners and public officials to exercise restraint.
Osuntokun also faulted Olayinka’s approach, saying the FCT minister’s aide was under no obligation to answer questions but should have handled the situation differently.
He said Olayinka’s manner of responding was unfortunate and did little to strengthen the position he sought to defend.
The incident has continued to generate reactions, particularly over the conduct expected of government spokespersons and media practitioners during contentious interviews.
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