Even while he grandstands in the public, claiming to be ready to meet ex-beauty queen Bianca Ojukwu in court, former Aviation Minister Femi Fani-Kayode has secretly sent emissaries to her even as he has also withdrawn his claims of having an intimate relationship with two other Igbo big girls.

The secret overtures to Bianca, Nigeria’s Ambassador to Spain and widow of late iconic Igbo leader Emeka Ojukwu, was disclosed by the authoritative THISDAY. According to the paper:

“THISDAY also gathered from sources close to Fani-Kayode that the former aviation minister was making efforts through emissaries close to Bianca to reach out to her to resolve the disagreement.

“The sources said the former minister was concerned that the issue had degenerated and would want a resolution on the misunderstanding.”

Meanwhile, just as he did in the case of Bianca, Chief Fani-Kayode has formally withdrawn his claims of intimate relationship with Miss Chioma Anasoh and Miss Adaobi Uchegbu made in his controversial article entitled “A Word for Those Who Call Me A Tribalist”.

A statement by Fani-Kayode’s lawyer, Mr. Akinola Babatunde Rotimi, said: “Our client knew Miss Chioma Anasoh between the years of 2004 and 2008 and Miss Adaobi Uchegbu between the years of 2002 and 2004. They were good friends at the time though he has not seen them for five and nine years respectively. As our client said earlier through his press secretary, some of the words he used to describe his friendship with Miss Anasoh and Miss Uchegbu in his article titled “A Word For Those Who Call Me A Tribalist” were indiscreet. He hereby withdraws those words.”

The retraction followed Bianca’s seven-day ultimatum to Fani-Kayode to withdraw his earlier claim or risk court action for defamation of character. The suit has not been ruled out as Bianca has dismissed Femi’s retraction as inadequate.

•Photo shows Femi Fani-Kayode.