Former aide to President Goodluck Jonathan and former staunch ally of Atiku Abubakar, Reno Omokri has reacted to claims made during the ongoing trial of activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore.
This follows questions raised in court over Omokri’s clearance by the Department of State Services (DSS) despite his past remarks against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In a statement released to PUNCH Online on Wednesday, Omokri addressed arguments raised by Sowore and his lawyer, Abubakar Marshal, during proceedings at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday, January 27, 2026.
The issue surfaced during cross-examination when Sowore’s counsel questioned why Omokri was cleared for an ambassadorial appointment after previously describing Tinubu as a “drug lord” on national television.
Responding, Omokri admitted making the statements but explained that he later discovered they were untrue and publicly withdrew them.
“I freely admit that I made uncomplimentary remarks about the then APC presidential candidate while believing them to be true at the time,” Omokri said. “However, I later discovered they were not true and withdrew them publicly in writing and on video.”
He said he formally affirmed Tinubu as President on May 29, 2023, the day of his swearing-in, and urged Nigerians to move past the elections.
Omokri added that he reiterated this stance on October 26, 2023, after the Supreme Court dismissed all petitions challenging Tinubu’s election.
“The court declared there were no criminal charges or convictions against the President. Based on that verdict, I changed my position and accepted that my earlier claims were wrong and fallacious,” he stated.
He further disclosed that he publicly apologised during interviews on TVC, News Central Television, and Channels TV’s Politics Today, and also apologised privately to Tinubu in October 2024 after returning to Nigeria from the United States.
“I flew in from California and apologised to him in person,” Omokri said.
Addressing the legal argument raised by Sowore’s team, Omokri maintained that statements he had withdrawn years earlier could not be relied upon to justify later publications.
“Mr Sowore cannot rely on statements I made between 2022 and 2023—statements I publicly withdrew—to defend statements made in August 2025,” he said.
He said he formally affirmed Tinubu as President on May 29, 2023, the day of his swearing-in, and urged Nigerians to move past the elections.
Omokri added that he reiterated this stance on October 26, 2023, after the Supreme Court dismissed all petitions challenging Tinubu’s election.
“The court declared there were no criminal charges or convictions against the President. Based on that verdict, I changed my position and accepted that my earlier claims were wrong and fallacious,” he stated.
He further disclosed that he publicly apologised during interviews on TVC, News Central Television, and Channels TV’s Politics Today, and also apologised privately to Tinubu in October 2024 after returning to Nigeria from the United States.
“I flew in from California and apologised to him in person,” Omokri said.
Addressing the legal argument raised by Sowore’s team, Omokri maintained that statements he had withdrawn years earlier could not be relied upon to justify later publications.
“Mr Sowore cannot rely on statements I made between 2022 and 2023—statements I publicly withdrew—to defend statements made in August 2025,” he said.
He again denied the allegation against the President, stressing his readiness to testify under oath.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not, has never been, and will never be a drug lord,” Omokri declared.
The reaction follows dramatic scenes in court where Sowore’s lawyer tendered video clips of Omokri’s past interviews during cross-examination of a DSS operative. Despite objections from the prosecution, the court admitted the exhibits into evidence and adjourned the trial to February 4 for continuation.
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