Segun Olatunji resigns as First News apologises to Gbajabiamila

The General Editor of First News, Segun Olatunji, has resigned his appointment with the online newspaper.

The resignation followed the apology tendered by the newspaper to the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.

This stemmed from a story Olatunji wrote for the newspaper on January 29, 2024, titled: “How Gbajabiamila attempted to corner $30b, 66 houses traced to Sabiu.”

The management of the newspaper in a statement on Wednesday said it had discovered that 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.

“As a responsible media organisation, we wish to state very categorically that we have no malicious intent towards the person of the Chief of Staff to the President or his office. 

“Hence, our decision to tender an unreserved apology and the need to publish a retraction of the said story.”

Olatunji, who was arrested and detained by the Defence Intelligence Agency for 12 days over the story, subsequently resigned.

He said in the resignation letter: “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.

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“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.”