His words were not just colorful\u2014they were loaded with intent. “If Abati thinks he can talk anyhow, let him come to my street. I will be waiting<\/strong>,” Oshiomhole was quoted as saying at a press conference in Abuja, visibly irritated and gesturing with pointed anger.<\/p>\n This episode didn\u2019t occur in a vacuum. It\u2019s part of a growing trend of tension between Nigerian journalists and the political elite. Over the last decade, media professionals in the country have grown bolder in their scrutiny of power, while politicians have become increasingly intolerant of public criticism.<\/p>\n From threats to press licenses to the deployment of security agencies to harass reporters, the playing field for Nigerian journalism has grown more dangerous, especially when truth-telling collides with influence.<\/p>\n Reuben Abati, who served as Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to former President Goodluck Jonathan, is no stranger to political heat. His shift from presidential spokesman to one of the sharpest interrogators of government policy on national television has won him praise and enemies alike. Abati has never shied away from asking hard questions, even when they provoke pushback from powerful quarters. But few expected the backlash from Oshiomhole to escalate into a public threat of physical confrontation.<\/p>\n For those familiar with Oshiomhole\u2019s political history, the street-fight rhetoric was less surprising than it was disturbing. As a former labor leader turned political enforcer, Oshiomhole has built a reputation as a tough talker with zero tolerance for what he considers disrespect.<\/p>\n His clashes with journalists, political opponents, and even fellow APC members are well-documented. But this time, his words may have crossed a line\u2014one that risks legitimizing hostility against journalists in a fragile democracy.<\/p>\n Political analysts were quick to weigh in, warning that such inflammatory rhetoric from a sitting senator could embolden others to see journalists not as watchdogs, but as targets.<\/p>\n The backlash was swift. Several media advocacy organizations, including the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) and Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), condemned Oshiomhole\u2019s remarks. They called on the National Assembly to caution its members and reinforce protections for media freedom. “The media cannot function under threats,<\/strong>” NUJ President Chris Isiguzo said in a statement. “We will not be intimidated by political strongmen whose first impulse is violence.”<\/strong><\/p>\n Arise TV, where Abati co-hosts The Morning Show, issued a brief but firm statement backing its anchor, emphasizing the station\u2019s commitment to free speech, balance, and civil discourse.<\/p>\n In a display of professional restraint, Reuben Abati refused to match Oshiomhole\u2019s energy. On the next airing of The Morning Show, he chose not to dwell on the issue, merely stating: \u201cWe must continue to hold public officials accountable, not by resorting to insults, but through facts and informed dialogue<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n His poise in the face of public provocation drew praise from across civil society and the media industry, reinforcing his status as a veteran journalist who values principle over theatrics.<\/p>\n This wasn\u2019t just a clash between two big egos\u2014it was a warning shot about where Nigerian democracy is headed. If lawmakers can issue threats without consequence, what message does that send to the young journalists reporting from dangerous frontlines across the country? If political leaders continue to blur the line between criticism and combat, will the media still have space to do its job without fear?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Oshiomhole vs. Abati episode will likely pass into the archives of Nigerian political drama, but its implications are far-reaching. It reminds us that in Nigeria’s democracy, the relationship between the media and power is still under negotiation\u2014and sometimes, that negotiation is loud, messy, and even dangerous. But as long as voices like Abati\u2019s remain firm and unshaken, the fourth estate will stand its ground, street fights or not.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In the ever-evolving terrain of Nigerian politics and media, 2025 served up yet another unforgettable spectacle\u2014this time between two heavyweight figures from opposing ends of the power structure: Senator Adams Oshiomhole and journalist-turned-anchor, Dr. Reuben Abati. The fiery confrontation between the outspoken Edo-born lawmaker and the cerebral Arise TV host didn\u2019t just make headlines this […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":28,"featured_media":358760,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":{"subtitle":"","format":"standard","override":[{"template":"2","single_blog_custom":"211693","parallax":"1","fullscreen":"1","layout":"right-sidebar","sidebar":"default-sidebar","second_sidebar":"default-sidebar","sticky_sidebar":"1","share_position":"top","share_float_style":"share-monocrhome","show_share_counter":"1","show_featured":"1","show_post_meta":"1","show_post_author":"1","show_post_author_image":"1","show_post_date":"1","post_date_format":"default","post_date_format_custom":"Y\/m\/d","show_post_category":"1","show_post_reading_time":"1","post_reading_time_wpm":"300","post_calculate_word_method":"str_word_count","show_zoom_button":"1","zoom_button_out_step":"2","zoom_button_in_step":"3","number_popup_post":"1","show_author_box":"0","show_post_related":"0","show_inline_post_related":"1"}],"image_override":[{"single_post_thumbnail_size":"crop-500","single_post_gallery_size":"crop-500"}],"trending_post_position":"meta","trending_post_label":"Trending","sponsored_post_label":"Sponsored by","disable_ad":"0"},"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_override_bookmark_settings":[],"jnews_override_counter":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[1133,91,10827,7679],"class_list":["post-358758","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-national","tag-adams-oshiomhole","tag-apc","tag-arise-tv","tag-reuben-abati"],"yoast_head":"\nA History of Tension: Media vs Power<\/h4>\n
Oshiomhole: A Political Street Fighter by Nature<\/h4>\n
Media Advocacy Groups Respond<\/h4>\n
Abati\u2019s Response: The Power of Composure<\/h4>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.withinnigeria.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/05\/images-92.jpg\")
<\/p>\nBigger Questions for Nigeria<\/h4>\n