ABUJA, Nigeria — Lere Olayinka, a spokesperson for Nigeria’s Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, declined to respond to questions from Arise TV anchor Rufai Oseni during a live television programme on September 4, 2026.
Okay News reports that Lere Olayinka appeared on The Morning Show on Friday but objected to engaging directly with Rufai Oseni, stating that he preferred to have a conversation with people he considered reasonable. The disagreement arose after Lere Olayinka took exception to Rufai Oseni’s alleged use of the term “emudani” in describing some individuals.
During the broadcast, Rufai Oseni asked Lere Olayinka to explain why former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Betta Edu, who has faced corruption allegations, was included in the presidential campaign council.
Rather than address the query regarding Betta Edu, Lere Olayinka refused to engage with the presenter.
“Well, I’m very sorry to say this, Oseni Rufai, I don’t want to answer any question from you. I want to concentrate,” Lere Olayinka said.
“I want this conversation to be among reasonable human beings, people who will not come and tell, who will not come and describe other people as ‘emudani’,” Lere Olayinka said.
The on-air confrontation follows previous public disagreements between Lere Olayinka and Rufai Oseni. The two had previously clashed over professional background and qualifications, with Lere Olayinka questioning Rufai Oseni’s background because he studied Animal Anatomy, while Rufai Oseni defended his training and experience in journalism. In 2025, Lere Olayinka accused Rufai Oseni of failing to observe appropriate broadcast standards when addressing guests on television.
