Veteran journalist and broadcaster Dr. Reuben Abati has strongly denied claims made by Lere Olayinka during an appearance on The Morning Show on Arise News, calling them false and misleading.
In a detailed statement posted on his Twitter handle on Friday, June 6, 2025, Abati described several allegations raised by Olayinka as fabricated, including the claim that he approached the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to beg for money.
“I have never approached Minister Nyesom Wike to beg for money — that is a lie,” Abati said. He clarified that if anyone, including a former associate, approached Wike using his name to request funds, it was done without his knowledge or approval. He urged the Minister to treat such actions as fraud.
Responding to another claim by Olayinka, Abati acknowledged that he had been invited for questioning by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the past. However, he stressed that the invitation was procedural and that he was never asked to return any funds. He also revealed that the EFCC, under former chairman Ibrahim Magu, later apologized to him.
Abati further refuted suggestions that he served as a spokesperson for former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi. “I am not Rotimi Amaechi’s spokesperson, nor do I have his phone number. That’s a fabrication,” he stated.
He also addressed his absence from The Morning Show on Friday, June 5, noting that he was attending a pre-scheduled book review event for “Oprah Benson – Live and Legend” by Dr. Udu Yakubu. “It was an honourable intellectual commitment,” he said.
Taking aim at Olayinka’s use of the word “hubris” during the interview, Abati remarked that the term was misused and implied that Olayinka lacked the standing for an intellectual exchange. “He is not my peer. I await a more meaningful conversation, if any, from his principal,” Abati said, suggesting that Olayinka was acting as a proxy.
He also defended his remarks about Minister Wike, saying public officials must remain subject to scrutiny and accountability. On the matter of the late Senator Buruji Kashamu, Abati reminded the public that no court had found him guilty of any crimes before his death, and urged restraint in repeating unproven allegations against the deceased.
In closing, Abati thanked his Arise News colleagues Rufai Oseni, Vimbai, and others for their professionalism, as well as his wife, Kikelomo Atanda-Owo Abati, for her unwavering support.
“May God bless Nigeria with true transparency, integrity, and boldness in public discourse,” he concluded.