The Editor of FirstNews, Segun Olatunji, has tendered his resignation after the publication apologised to the Chief of Staff of President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila.
Recall that Olatunji had spent 14 days in the custody of Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) Abuja for a report on Gbajabiamila.
The report titled: “How Gbajabiamila attempted to corner $30bn, 66 houses traced to Sabiu” was written by Olatunji.
Gbajabiamila had in a statement on Tuesday threatened to drag Olatunji and FirstNews to court over the article and another interview granted by the Editor to the Foundation of Investigative Journalism (FIJ).
The First News Management, in a statement on Wednesday, May 8, said it had discovered the said story contained “falsehoods and fabricated stories handed out to us as facts by a misleading source which was highly negligent on our part and for which we deeply tender an unreserved apology to the Chief of Staff to the President.”
In his resignation letter after the apology, Olatunji said he resigned for his safety and that of the family.
Hinting that he was unhappy about the apology, he expressed hope that the truth would come out soonest on what transpired over the report.
The letter read: ”In view of the latest development regarding the Gbajabiamila story and the stance of the company’s Management, I hereby tender my resignation as the General Editor of First News.
”It has become imperative for me to resign my appointment for the safety of my person and my family.
”However, I want to state that in no distant time, the truth will come out and then it’ll be my word against theirs.
”I hope the Management of First Media Network Limited, publishers of First News newspaper, will be magnanimous enough to fully settle the one year outstanding salaries I am being owed, in no time.
”I thank the company’s management for giving me the opportunity to contribute my quota to its operations in the past four years.”
