Nyesom Wike’s media aide, Lere Olayinka, has claimed that the media team of former President Goodluck Jonathan, led by Arise TV journalist, Reuben Abati, was responsible for the demonisation of Jonathan’s administration.
Speaking via a post on his X handle, Olayinka alleged that Abati’s media team was busy getting paid while the former president was constantly rubbished in the media.
He insisted that Abati failed as Jonathan’s media adviser, maintaining that he did not properly carry out his duties.
According to him, ‘’In this game, when someone throws one pebble at you, look for a very big MUD (Ògúlùtu) and throw it at the person.
“This is not a gentleman’s game. It is gbas gbos. You will be abused, you will be insulted, never mind.
“One of the reasons President Goodluck Jonathan was demonized successfully was his WEAK MEDIA led by that garrulous and arrogant @abati1990 .
“Reuben Abati was just collecting money and doing Big Man while President Jonathan was being rubbished in the media. He failed as President Jonathan’s media adviser.’’
Meanwhile, Abati has criticised Wike for organising a church Thanksgiving service to mark the completion of some projects in Abuja.
Naijaonpoint reports that the thanksgiving took place at St. James Anglican Church in Asokoro, Abuja on Sunday, July 6.
Reacting, Abati condemned the thanksgiving, describing it as a display of self-praise rather than a sincere act of gratitude.
The ex presidential spokesperson argued that the event turned into a personal celebration disguised as a public event.
He questioned why a government official would use a religious setting to promote achievements tied to his public office.
“Let’s deal with the idea of going to have a Thanksgiving service because you have a Minister of the Federal Capital Territory who has done some projects, who has spent about 11 days launching projects, and the President attended it, and then he goes to church.
“And he goes to church to go and masturbate, to engage in a process of self-adulation. I find that very childish, and that’s why we question it.
“Now, let’s make the point. This Constitution that we’re talking about says in Section 10 that there shall be no state religion in any part.
“So, Wike going to church to go and have a song and a dance is a violation of that part of the Constitution. He’s not going there in his own capacity; he is taking the whole machinery of the FCT to go and celebrate project. Some of these churches, like St. James, should call out the priest. They should be able to say that certain things are not acceptable, no matter the amount of money a government official is bringing in a public capacity.
“Maybe they should give this priest also the Constitution of Nigeria to run, to understand that, you know, there is what is right, there is what is not right”, Abati said.