Saturday, 27 October 2012

“I did not announce my exit from THISDAY, because it is not a media event” – El-Rufai


El-Rufai
News broke out at the early hour of Friday that the former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nasir El-Rufai, and Lagos-based newspaper, THISDAY, have parted ways.
Mr. El-Rufai announced the development to his fans Thursday night via his Facebook page that his. Friday column, El-Rufai, will no longer appear In the paper.
Its reads: “My Friday Column, El-Rufai on Friday will no longer appear on the Back Page of Thisday. It will continue to be on the Back Page of People’s Daily and on other web-based platforms. Thanks to all those who have read and encouraged me to write the column.”
An official of the media Thisday had however opened up on the matter. He said, “Our publisher told him it is either he writes exclusively for THISDAY or nothing. El-Rufai said he won’t write exclusively for us because of the wide reach he was getting by syndicating it.”
But in a telephone interview with DailyPost, El-rufai said: “When I started the column, did I announce to the world?
So why is it important that I announce when I’m leaving? My exit from the paper is not a media event; it is not a big deal. Please, you people should allow me enjoy my Sallah” He queried
When reminded that his departure from the paper is generating so much media attention because of his status in the country, El-rufai cuts in “I beg to differ, I am not any figure in this country. I am only a citizen like you.”
However, inside source at THISDAY say the incident was as a result of long time impasse between El-Rufai and the Publisher, Nduka Obaigbena.
We gathered that Obaigbena was under pressure from the present administration to stop running the column because it is too critical of government.
Recall the former minister was once arrested after he analysed the government’s security spending in one of his columns.

DailyPost

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