Lere Olayinka, a media aide to Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and independent journalist Jackson Ude have engaged in a heated exchange on social media following a dispute involving allegations of Wike being blocked from the Aso Rock Presidential Villa.
The controversy began when Jackson Ude accused Wike of being intoxicated during his reception of the Indian Prime Minister at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Saturday. Ude further claimed that a security officer at the Presidential Villa had informed him that Wike was denied access to the Villa due to his drunken state.
In response, Lere Olayinka, Wike’s media aide, issued a statement refuting the accusations, asserting that the FCT Minister had carried out the official task of receiving the Indian Prime Minister as per the directives of President Bola Tinubu. The statement sought to clarify the matter, emphasizing that the allegations were baseless.
The war of words escalated on Wednesday when Lere Olayinka took to social media to share a post about Jackson Ude’s past legal troubles. He revealed that Ude had been fined $10,000 by a U.S. court in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania over defamation charges, labeling him a “serial liar.”
In retaliation, Jackson Ude fired back with a threat, challenging Lere to a “war.” He wrote, “Lere, if you want to war with me, get ready. I will destroy you and your drunken master, and you will lose your job. I am not your mate in journalism. You’ll need to go back to school to handle me. Your poor education won’t allow you to comprehend what you just posted. But hey, let’s go there. I guess you don’t need a job.”
Not backing down, Lere Olayinka accepted the challenge, writing, “Let the war begin now. You will soon realize that you’ve picked the wrong person to go up against this time.”
The exchange has since attracted attention, with both sides intensifying their verbal clash, and tensions continuing to rise over the issue.
