Aniefiok Christopher
Nigeria’s Ambassador-designate, Reno Omokri admitted making uncomplimentary remarks about then Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, describing such as untrue.
Omokri reacted to issues raised during the ongoing trial of activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, after questions were asked in court about his clearance by the Department of State Services despite past comments about Tinubu.
During proceedings at the Federal High Court in Abuja, Sowore’s lawyer queried why Omokri was cleared for an ambassadorial role after previously making damaging remarks about Tinubu while he was an APC presidential candidate.
Reacting to the claims on Wednesday, January 28, Omokri admitted that he made the comments in the past but said he later discovered they were untrue and withdrew them publicly.
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“With regard to the claims made by Mr Omoyele Sowore and his counsel in court, I do freely admit that I made uncomplimentary remarks about the then presidential candidate while believing them to be true at the time,” Omokri said.
The Former Presidential aide added, “Subsequent to making those statements, I discovered that they were not true, and I publicly withdrew them in writing and on video through multiple platforms.”
Omokri said he accepted Tinubu as President on the day he was sworn in and urged Nigerians to move on.
“On the day that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was sworn in as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I released a statement affirming him as President and urging Nigerians to put the past behind them and give him their full support,” he stated.
He said he restated this position after the Supreme Court dismissed all petitions challenging the election.
“In that judgment, the court declared that there were no criminal charges or convictions against the President,” Omokri said.
According to him, the ruling completely changed his stance on the earlier claims.
“Based on that verdict, my stance changed. Not only was it wrong, but I fully believed it was fallacious,” he said.
Omokri also said he later apologised publicly during television interviews.
“I admitted to the Nigerian public and the world during a live broadcast that I was wrong about those statements I made about the then-candidate,” he said.
He further disclosed that he apologised privately to Tinubu in 2024.
“I flew into Nigeria from my home in California and apologised to him in person, prostrating flat on the ground,” Omokri said.
Addressing the legal arguments raised during the trial, Omokri said Sowore could not rely on statements that had already been withdrawn.
“Mr Sowore cannot rely on statements I made between 2022 and 2023, which I publicly withdrew, as a defence for statements he made later,” he said.
He again denied the allegation against the President.
“I again affirm today that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not, has never been, and will never be a drug lord,” Omokri stated.
He added, “I make these statements voluntarily, freely and of my own volition, and I am fully prepared to testify to this under oath in court.”
Sowore’s allegation
The controversy erupted at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday as the trial of activist Omoyele Sowore took an unexpected turn, exposing uncomfortable questions for the Department of State Services (DSS) over its handling of criticism against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The tension rose during cross-examination when Sowore’s lawyer, Marshal Abubakar, presented video footage showing former presidential aide Reno Omokri making sweeping allegations against Tinubu on national television—remarks that appeared to attract no legal action.
The clips, tendered via a flash drive, were played in open court while Cyril Nosike, a DSS operative and the prosecution’s first witness, looked on. One video showed Omokri during a 2023 ARISE News interview claiming he possessed court documents from the United States allegedly linking the President to drug-related offences.
“Bola Tinubu is a known drug lord. I have documents to prove it,” Omokri stated in the broadcast.
Another clip captured Omokri insisting he would never align politically with Tinubu.
Abubakar seized the moment to question why the DSS later cleared Omokri for an ambassadorial appointment despite those statements, while Sowore is facing prosecution for calling the President a “criminal” online. The DSS witness admitted he could not explain the agency’s decision.
The court later adjourned the case to February 4 for continuation of hearing.
