Femi Fani Kayode, FFK as fondly called by his horde of fans is obviously a man who is not shy of controversies. In fact, it is obvious that he courts it and revels in the tension it generates. That he is a man who has a quintessential command of the Queens language is not in dispute and that he turns away when what should be said is afoot is now the issue.
He was in the news some months backs after he undertook a tour of some of the national hotspots of their party, The Peoples Democratic party, which is the opposing party in the present Nigerian government. In this tour he had an iron melting face off with a journalist who obviously asked him what he interpreted to be a question calculated to undermine him. Every one who thought he or she had something negative to say about him both in the main strem media and the junk social media said it. He placated the offended journalist with casual toss of an apology and moved on to the next controversy.
This time the speculation is that he has cross-carpeted to the ruling party. This is a party he has criticized, ridiculed and insulted its members for the past going to seven years. Talk about being suicidal. However, at the stage of this publication, it remains a rumor.
However, if anything that comes out of the mouth of certain members of the ruling party is anything to go by, which of course I and the rest of the country doubt, if the words of Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi state can be listened to, then Chief Femi Fani-Kayode has joined the APC – The Kogi state governor made the announcement on Wednesday, February 10 – The governor was speaking in his hometown after participating in the registration and revalidation exercise of the APC
Governor Bello confirmed the rumours in a trending video currently trending on twitter. Bello said: “Our brother and friend, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode has joined our party in good faith. He is joining our party to come and add his own positive energy and make contributions to ensuring that APC is a party to beat. Remember, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode is a foundation member of the All Progressives Congress.”
Dino Melaye, who was a senator of the PDD and of the same state as Bello and who words fail me to define his personality cursed the manouvers of the ruling party in courting for members of the opposing party to join. He said in Nigerian broken English, God go punish them –
“ Governor Bello’s comment came on the same day some youths in the APC vowed to walk out Fani-Kayode if he is sighted at any event of the ruling party. The youths took to social media to reveal their plans if the rumours of the Osun-born politician returning to the party was true. Chief Fani-Kayode is yet to corroborate Governor’s Bello’s claim.
It was reported that Bashir Ahmad, the personal assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on new media, frowned at the reports that Fani-Kayode might be heading back to the APC. He wrote on Twitter: “If he decides to join the governing party, I don’t think he will be welcome by majority of the party members, who he made it a duty to attack and insult for several years.”
Reacting to the threat that APC youths will walk Fani-Kayode out of party’s meetings, the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, has declared that access should be given to members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), willing to join the APC in the ongoing membership registration exercise of the ruling party. According to him, the essence of the exercise is to rejuvenate the party in preparation for future elections hence the need to get more members into the APC fold.
FFK Reacts
However, shortly after the video went viral, Fani-Kayode tweeted via his verified Twitter handle, @realFFK, that he still remains a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Breaking: Fani-Kayode dismisses Yahaya Bello’s comment, says he is still in PDP He said in the tweet posted on Wednesday evening, February 10: “Though we have had meetings across party lines and we are in a season of political consultation I have not left the PDP.” Buhari’s aide reacts Few minutes after Fani-Kayode’s tweet, Ahmad, President Buhari’s aide replied him on Twitter, saying he should remain in the PDP He simply tweeted: “Please stay in your lane, sir.”
Southwest PDP addresses Fani-Kayode’s rumoured defection Meanwhile, a chieftain of the PDP in the southwest, Ajala Somide, had earlier said all the stories surrounding the former minister’s defection to the APC were fairytales. Speaking on Tuesday, February 9, Somide described Fani-Kyode as a staunch loyalist and leader of the opposition party. He said the reports are mere speculation peddled by detractors to create unnecessary panic in the household of the PDP ahead of the 2023 election.
