A heated argument erupted on live television between Ayo Fayose, former Governor of Ekiti State, and Rufai Oseni, a journalist with Arise TV.

During a live television broadcast on March 23, a confrontation arose between Ayo Fayose, a former governor of Ekiti State, and Rufai Oseni, a journalist with Arise TV. The argument stemmed from Rufai’s criticism of Fayose’s plea for people to move forward in the aftermath of the violence that occurred during the recent gubernatorial election on March 18.

Rufai while responding to Fayose’s call said;

‘’All you have said is a justification of illegality in our country and a lot of people are taken aback because you yourself have been secretly recorded by an Army captain when you were hatching an election fraud plans in 2014 and we all remember that experience. So is it that we should continue in that now? and I will also like to ask this honestly, if another person apart from Tinubu that you supported won this election, would you come on air and say all of these things that you are saying that people should move on without justice? You try to rationalise what happened in Lagos. Yes it happened in other parts of the country but the killings, the hurts, the laceration of people’s body and the likes that happened in parts of the country but most importantly in Lagos, so should we justify this now because it favours people that you were in support of?”

Responding, Fayose said this was an attack on his personality and he would not take it. He stated that he had objected to coming on Arise TV because of Rufai but that he was promised by the co-anchor, Reuben Abati, that he will moderate the show well.

‘’I take exception to your claim that I was secretly recorded and I take exception that nobody has proven that. Yes I can be recorded but nobody can ever say to you that I said they can go and rig an election. I have avoided talking on this area. But if we are talking about Nigeria, let us start with the oress and let us start with your person.You recall your incident on the bus lane and your attack on the police. That shows that you as a journalist and a public analyst, somebody who is supposed to live above board is not equally living above board. And he that must come to equity must have clean hands. I read alot and I listen to your comments.

I was invited by your station. If you didn’t touch on something that impunes on my personality, I will not give you an answer to that. I told Reuben Abati yesterday and I specifically complained about you and your attack on persons you do not believe in.”