Headies organisers disqualify Portable over death threat

Organisers of the prestigious Headies Awards have disqualified musician, Habeeb Okikiola, better known as Portable, from the list of nominees.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the organisers disclosed that he was disqualified over an ongoing criminal investigation and for issuing threats to ‘harm or kill’ his co-nominees.

According to the organisers, Portable’s disqualification is aimed at passing a strong message that it does not condone reckless and uncouth statements.

Recall that in May 2022, Portable had threatened other nominees in the same categories as himself if he does not emerge the winner.

The statement read in part; “We regret to announce that following numerous indicting statements made by Mr. Habeeb Okikiola popularly known as “Portable”, and the incessant negative attention that Mr Okikiola has garnered from the Nigeria Police and the general public in recent times, the organisers of the Headies have resolved to disqualify Mr Okikiola as a nominee at the forthcoming 15 Headies Awards.

The decision to disqualify Mr. Okikiola is accentuated by series of misdemeanours by Mr Okikiola via his social media platforms. On the 25th of May 2022, he threatened to kill, harm or cause harm to the other nominees in the same categories of awards he was nominated for, if he does not emerge the winner, precisely”.

The singer was nominated in the ‘Rookie of the Year’ and ‘Best Street-Hop Artiste’ categories.