Reno Omokri, a former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan and vocal critic of President Bola Tinubu, has faced renewed scrutiny after old videos resurfaced showing him labeling Tinubu a “drug lord.”
In 2023 interviews, including one on ARISE News, Omokri claimed he had documentary evidence from Chicago court records proving Tinubu was a “known drug lord,” asserting he personally verified the documents and spent money obtaining certified copies.
However, President Tinubu nominated Omokri as one of 64 ambassadorial nominees in late 2025. The Senate confirmed the list in December 2025, positioning Omokri for diplomatic deployment.
Omokri has since retracted his earlier statements, publicly apologizing and affirming that Tinubu “is not, has never been, and will never be a drug lord.” He described prostrating before Tinubu to seek forgiveness after realizing his claims were false, praising the president for demonstrating forgiveness and patriotism.
The issue gained fresh attention during the ongoing trial of activist Omoyele Sowore in January 2026, when a Federal High Court in Abuja admitted a 2023 video clip of Omokri’s remarks as evidence. Critics have questioned how Omokri was cleared by security agencies despite his past allegations, highlighting perceived inconsistencies in the nomination process. Omokri maintains he withdrew the claims publicly before his nomination and now supports Tinubu’s leadership.
