Omokri: I Publicly Retracted My Claims Against Tinubu Long Before Sowore’s Case

Former presidential aide Reno Omokri has formally reaffirmed the withdrawal of earlier critical statements he made against President Bola Tinubu, describing them as mistaken and publicly retracted, in response to their use during the ongoing cybercrime trial of activist Omoyele Sowore.

In a statement released on Wednesday, Omokri addressed references made in the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, where Sowore’s counsel played video clips of Omokri’s past television appearances labelling Tinubu a “drug lord” and questioned why the Department of State Services cleared him for a potential ambassadorial role despite those remarks.

Omokri acknowledged that he had made the comments while believing them to be accurate at the time but later concluded they were unfounded.

“With regard to the claims made by Mr Omoyele Sowore and his counsel, Mr Abubakar Marshal, in court on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, I do freely admit that I did make uncomplimentary remarks about the then Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, while believing those comments to be true at the time I uttered them,” the statement read.

He continued: “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.”

Omokri highlighted several public actions he took to reverse his position, beginning with a statement on May 29, 2023, the day Tinubu was sworn in as president, in which he recognised the inauguration and called on Nigerians to support the new administration.

He further referenced the Supreme Court’s October 26 groans 26, 2023, judgment dismissing petitions against Tinubu’s election, noting that the court explicitly stated there were no criminal charges or convictions against the president.

“Based on that verdict, my stance on the statements I had made against the President had changed: not only was it wrong, but I fully believed it was fallacious,” Omokri said.

He pointed to subsequent appearances on TVC, News Central Television, and Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he apologised live on air, and a private meeting with Tinubu in October 2024 during which he prostrated in apology after travelling from his base in California.

Omokri argued that Sowore could not legally rely on statements he had withdrawn years earlier to justify publications made in August 2025, citing Phipson on Evidence: “Former oral or written statements by any person… may not be given in evidence if the purpose is to tender them as evidence of the truth of the matters asserted.”

Reaffirming his current position, he declared: “I again affirm today… that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not, has never been, and will never be a drug lord.”

He added that he made the clarification voluntarily and remained ready to testify under oath.

The exchange in court occurred during cross-examination of the first prosecution witness, DSS operative Cyril Nosike, in Sowore’s trial on a two-count amended charge of cybercrime. Sowore’s lawyer tendered a flash drive containing clips, including a 2023 ARISE News interview in which Omokri described Tinubu as a “known drug lord” with supporting documents and stated he would never work with him.

Although the prosecution objected, Justice Mohammed Umar overruled the objection, admitted the exhibits, and adjourned the case to February 4 for continuation.