My Claim Tinubu Was Drug Lord False, I Retracted It, Says Omokri

Ambassador-designate, Reno Omokri, has acknowledged making critical remarks against President Bola Tinubu in the past.

However, he said he later discovered the claims were untrue and publicly withdrew them.

Omokri made this known in a post on his Facebook page on Wednesday following dramatic scenes at the Federal High Court on Tuesday during Sowore’s trial on a two-count amended charge of cybercrime.

During the cross-examination of the first prosecution witness, a Department of State Services (DSS) operative, Cyril Nosike, Sowore’s lawyer tendered a flash drive containing video clips of Omokri.

One of the clips showed Omokri during a 2023 ARISE News interview stating, “Drug lord is not an unprintable name. Bola Tinubu is a known drug lord. I’ve got documents to back it up.”

Another clip showed him saying he would never work with Tinubu.

Following the playback, Marshal questioned why the DSS cleared Omokri for an ambassadorial appointment despite the remarks.

Although the prosecution counsel, Akinlolu Kehinde, objected to the admissibility of the exhibits, the trial judge, Justice Mohammed Umar, overruled the objection and admitted them in evidence.

The court adjourned the matter until February 4 for continuation of the trial.

Responding, Omokri admitted that he had made what he described as “uncomplimentary remarks” about Tinubu while he was the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“Subsequent to making those statements, I discovered that they were not, in fact, true, and I publicly withdrew them in writing and on video at various times and through multiple platforms,” he said.

According to him, the day Tinubu was sworn in as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, he issued a public statement recognising him as President and urged Nigerians to move past the elections and support his administration.

He said he also reiterated this position on October 26, 2023 as he believed his statements were fallacious, following the Supreme Court’s dismissal of petitions challenging Tinubu’s election.

Additionally, he later granted interviews to TVC, News Central Television and Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he publicly apologised for the remarks and privately apologised to Tinubu in October 2024 while “prostrating flat on the ground”.

“Therefore, Mr Sowore cannot rely on statements I made between 2022 and 2023, and then publicly withdrew in 2023, as a defence for statements he made in August 2025,” he said.

He also cited Phipson on Evidence, which states that former oral or written statements may not be admitted as evidence if they are tendered to prove the truth of the matters asserted.

Reiterating his position, Omokri 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,” he said.

“I make these statements voluntarily, freely and of my own volition, and I am fully prepared to testify to the above under oath in court,” he added.

THE WHISTLER reports that Omokri was nominated by President Tinubu for an ambassadorial position and has been screened and cleared by the senate.