Fani-Kayode Defends Calling Pantami ‘Friend’, Says It’s Politics Without Bitterness

Fani-Kayode Defends Calling Pantami ‘Friend’, Says It’s Politics Without Bitterness
Femi Fani-Kayode

Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode has expressed that it is not wrong to be friends with your political adversary.

The former minister stated this after coming under heavy criticism on social media, for sharing photos he took with Isa Pantami, minister of communications and digital economy, and describing him as “friend and brother.”

Fani-Kayode attended the wedding of Yusuf, son of President Muhammadu Buhari, which held on Friday.

He said he flew into Kano in the company of Pantami; Bello Matawalle and Babagana Zulum, governors of Zamfara and Borno; Nuhu Ribadu, a former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and other dignitaries — a number of which the former minister has publicly attacked.

Also Read: Ahmed Joda: President Buhari Arrives In Yola On Condolence Visit

Fani-Kayode had, in April, described Pantami as a “jihadist”, following the former’s pro-Al-Qaeda views.

However, reacting to the criticism, Fani-Kayode stated that politics is not war but about “bridge-building”.

“Buba Galadima with Ahmad Lawan, GEJ (Goodluck Ebele Jonathan) with PMB, GEJ with VP (Yemi Osinbajo) & Atiku (Abubakar) with PMB. Politics is about bridge-building regardless of your differences. It is not war. You can be friends with your political adversary and still disagree,” he said in a Twitter post.

“It’s called politics without bitterness and being civilized.”