‘I don’t mean it’ – Wike bows to pressure, clarifies threat to shoot journalist

Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has clarified comments helium made astir Channels Television’s anchor, Seun Okinbaloye.

Wike had said helium would person “broken his TV surface and shot” Okinbaloye, implicit his comments that a one-party strategy would destruct ideology successful Nigeria.

The connection has attracted wide condemnation, with Amnesty International describing the minister’s remarks arsenic “reckless and violent”.

But successful a connection signed by his media aide, Lere Olayinka, Wike has explained that helium did not mean it literally.

The connection released by Olayinka connected Saturday read: “The curate ne'er meant that helium volition sprout Seun Okinbaloye. They adjacent spoke connected telephone today, and helium (Okinbaloye) understood what the curate meant.

“What the curate meant, which helium made wide during the media chat was that helium was aggravated seeing Okinbaloye, whom helium clasp successful precocious esteem arsenic a journalist, descending into the governmental arena by speaking arsenic an funny party, alternatively of an interviewer.

“The connection made by the curate was successful hyperbolic context, which was intelligibly without intent. It was chiefly utilizing exaggeration to marque a point.

“Even aft...