I met with my advisors & I wish to say the following. I hereby withdraw the word "stupid" which I used in my encounter with a journalist in Calabar. I have many friends in the media who I offended by losing my cool & using such words. I hereby express my regrets for doing so.1/4

..I do however wish to state categorically that no threat of physical harm was ever made to the journalist in question and neither did I send anyone to threaten him. Anyone that says otherwise is lying and I challenge them to bring the proof. 2/4

..I would never seek to physically harm a journalist. For the last 30 years I have defended & worked with journalists & fought for the right of freedom of exiression. I am also very close to many in that profession. I would be the last to seek to disparage those that are..3/4

...honorable and noble within its ranks. I hope that this will assuage the pain and anger of anyone that was hurt or offended by this ugly episode. I have now put this matter behind me and moved on. Now my tour of the South continues. Moving to another state today!