Drama unfolded on ARISE TV on Friday, September 4, during a live interview with Lere Olayinka, an aide to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike after he refused to answer questions from Nigerian broadcaster Rufai Oseni.
Oseni asked Olayinka to explain the inclusion of former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Betta Edu, in the presidential campaign council despite the corruption allegations against her.
The broadcaster asked Olayinka about the defence Wike made that politicians should not face accusations as long as a court has not indicted them. He also questioned why people could easily use investigations as political weaponisation against politicians, but the same argument appeared to change when those politicians joined the All Progressives Congress (APC). 
Oseni asked: “The defence that Minister Wike made that as long as they have not been indicted by the court, you cannot hold them. But it is also easy for people to use just cases of investigation as political weaponisation against other politicians and now that the people are raising it that these people have cases that they need to clear in EFCC, …Why is it that it’s so easy to use that as a political weaponisation against them but when they are now in the fold of APC, they are now saying that as long as they have not gone through the court process then it’s not a problem?”
Lere Olayinka Refuses to Answer Rufai Oseni
Rather than answer Oseni’s question, Olayinka directly told the broadcaster that he did not want to answer any question from him.
Olayinka said: “I’m sorry to say this Rufai, I don’t want to answer any question from you, I want to concentrate, I want this conversation to be among reasonable human being, people who will not come and describe other people as ‘gbewudani’. I want this question to be among reasonable people.”
Olayinka’s response came immediately after Oseni asked him about the different treatment politicians could receive when they face investigations outside the APC and when they join the party.
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His refusal to answer Oseni shifted the focus of the interview from the question about Betta Edu and the corruption allegations to his criticism of the broadcaster.
Ayo Mairo-Ese Responds to Olayinka
The Morning Show has three anchors: Rufai Oseni, Reuben Abati and Ayo Mairo-Ese. After Olayinka refused to answer Oseni and described the kind of people he wanted to have the conversation with, Mairo-Ese responded to his statement.
She reminded Olayinka that he knew he would meet all three anchors when he agreed to appear on the programme.
She said: “When you were coming to this interview on the Morning Show, I’m sure that you were aware that there are three anchors on the show. And so if you are coming to present yourself to the Morning Show then the onus is on you to present yourself to the three anchors who are here based on their credibility and the efforts in terms of experience.
“No more questions since you say you do not want to answer the questions… Hopefully we see you again when you are ready to speak with the three of us.”
Olayinka’s decision not to answer Oseni’s questions brought tension to the interview, while Mairo-Ese made it clear that guests who appear on the Morning Show should expect questions from all three anchors.
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