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Former Aviation minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, and ex-presidential aide, Reno Omokri, have slammed Ovation Magazine publisher Dele Momodu over his recent statements about them.
Momodu had in a lengthy post on X on Thursday, alleged that Fani-Kayode was preparing a “Plan B” in case he did not get a political appointment from President Bola Tinubu.
Momodu further claimed that Fani-Kayode was seeking support from former Vice President Atiku Abubakar through intermediaries, describing him as a “fish out of water” when not in power.
Reacting via his X handle, Fani-Kayode lashed out, calling Momodu “THE PIMP” and saying he had “blown another gasket.”
Read Also: ‘Shameless Friends’: Dele Momodu Blasts Omokri, Fani-Kayode
“Dele Momodu has got his knickers in a twist yet again. Poor soul. He is clearly tormented. There is nothing worse than watching a man that comes from a lineage of touts and pimps blowing his gasket.
“He calls me a thug, speaks about my father and family, and claims that I wanted to work with Atiku even though I left PDP in 2021.
“No matter what you say about me, I was born into the corridors of power, have been in power, and have remained relevant and active in the power configuration of our country for over 30 years.”
He also criticized Momodu’s career and family background, stating:
“All I know about you is that you were once a journalist, you followed Chief MKO Abiola around like a court jester and collected crumbs from him for much of your life.
“You became a hustler and a photographer after he was incarcerated and you ran for President a number of years back and got only one vote which came from your wife.
“Outside of this, I do not have your time. I have been called to serve my country once again and that is where my focus lies. The only thing that matters is Nigeria, and creatures like you and those you represent do not ever get near power.”
In a separate post, Reno Omokri also criticized Momodu, describing him as “too immature for politics” and urging him to focus on entertainment.
Omokri referenced past interactions with Momodu, saying, “I have NEVER reached out to you privately for reconciliation. NEVER. If you have evidence about that, please publicize it now…
“The last time you and I had an exchange, I did not reach out to you privately to arrange a settlement or ask for publicity, as you claimed.
“Rather, I called you to warn you to always travel with aspirin or any other blood thinner to avoid sudden death syndrome, which can result from Deep Vein Thrombosis, caused by frequent air flights.
“I was nominated as an Ambassador by President Tinubu and my State Governor, and the three Senators from my state, as well as the Federal cabinet minister from Delta, all united and publicly associated with me and supported me.
“Dele, you should focus on hyping fading Big Brother contestants and leave politics to those with a thick enough skin to take barbs and give back in good measure.”
A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Dele Momodu, has fired back at Reno Omokri and Femi Fani-Kayode, describing them as “perpetual agents of perfidy” lacking credibility.
In a statement titled ‘Reno Omokri & Femi Fani-Kayode: A Tale of Two Shameless Friends’, posted on his X handle on Wednesday, Momodu responded to separate attacks by the duo over his remarks on the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
Momodu said he initially intended to ignore the criticisms but chose to reply to avoid being “bullied into silence and submission”.
“They both have no credibility whatsoever,” he said, adding that the two men had previously made damaging comments about Tinubu that “they will never be able to erase”.
The Ovation Magazine publisher also dismissed claims that he had made baseless allegations against the President.
“I have never disparaged Tinubu in my life. I have never called him a murderer. I’m intelligent enough not to say what I have no proof of,” he stated.
Clarifying his position, Momodu maintained that his only accusation against Tinubu is what he described as “dictatorship”.
“All I have accused Tinubu of is dictatorship and I stand by it with my full chest,” he said, noting that his stance is shaped by Nigeria’s history of military rule.
He further revealed that he had previously toned down his criticism of the President out of respect for elder statesmen and past associations.
Momodu also alleged that both Omokri and Fani-Kayode had, at different times, privately reached out to him for support or reconciliation despite publicly attacking him.
“How Femi and Reno can continue to harass people on behalf of a Tinubu they’ve permanently damaged baffles me,” he added.
A public disagreement between two prominent figures in Nigeria’s political and media circles has intensified after former Aviation Minister Femi Fani-Kayode issued a sharply worded rebuke of Dele Momodu, the publisher and African Democratic Congress chieftain who compared President Bola Tinubu’s leadership to the military rule of the late General Sani Abacha.
Momodu made the comparison during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, hosted by Seun Okinbaloye, where he described Tinubu as a potential dictator.
