Former presidential aide, Mr Reno Omokri, has responded to allegations linked to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, stating that earlier uncomplimentary remarks he made against the President were based on information he later found to be false and which he has since publicly withdrawn.
Omokri made the clarification following statements attributed to Mr Omoyele Sowore and his lawyer, Mr Abubakar Marshal, during court proceedings on Tuesday, January 27, 2026.
He admitted that while he had made critical comments about then-presidential candidate Bola Tinubu during the 2022–2023 election period, he believed the claims to be true at the time. However, he said he later discovered the allegations were inaccurate and proceeded to retract them through written statements and video recordings across several platforms.
According to Omokri, he first publicly affirmed Tinubu as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on May 29, 2023, the day of his inauguration, urging Nigerians to move past political divisions and support the new administration.
He said he reiterated this position on October 26, 2023, following the Supreme Court’s dismissal of all petitions challenging Tinubu’s election. Omokri noted that the apex court ruled there were no criminal charges or convictions against the President and clarified issues that had been misrepresented in the media.
“On the same day the judgment was delivered, I accepted it, applauded it, and stated clearly that my previous position had changed because the allegations were not just wrong, but fallacious,” he said.
Omokri further disclosed that he reaffirmed the Supreme Court’s verdict during a television interview on TVC on October 28, 2023, describing the judgment as just and in line with the law.
He added that on March 27, 2025, during an appearance on News Central Television, he deliberately described the President as having been “exonerated,” stressing that the term reflected a clear legal position.
He also recalled a live appearance on Politics Today on June 11, 2025, where he publicly admitted that his earlier statements were wrong and based on false media reports, particularly publications from Sahara Reporters and statements attributed to Mr Sowore. He said he formally withdrew the allegations and apologised to the President.
Omokri revealed that he had earlier met President Tinubu privately on October 1, 2024, after travelling from the United States, where he apologised in person and explained that his actions were not malicious but founded on misinformation.
Addressing the legal issues raised in court, Omokri argued that it was improper to rely on statements he had already withdrawn as justification for later claims. Citing principles of evidence and the rule against hearsay, he said statements made in good faith but later proven false and retracted could not be used to establish the truth of subsequent allegations.
He maintained that Mr Sowore could not rely on remarks he made between 2022 and 2023 to defend statements allegedly made in August 2025, noting that the original allegations had been propagated by Sahara Reporters long before he referenced them.
Omokri again affirmed that President Tinubu “is not, has never been, and will never be a drug lord,” describing him as a man of good character and moral standing. He added that the President’s capacity for forgiveness and reconciliation made him well suited to lead Nigeria’s diverse population.
He concluded by stating that his remarks were made voluntarily and truthfully, and that he was prepared to testify under oath, supported by documentary and timestamped evidence.
