Tinubu Is Not a Drug Lord, Reno Omokri Recants Past Statements
Reno Omokri recants statements made during the heated 2023 election season in a development that has reshaped public debate around President Bola Tinubu. Speaking on Wednesday January 28 2026 the former presidential aide and ambassador designate publicly confirmed that earlier allegations linking the President to drug trafficking were false and based on misinformation. He explained that the clarification became necessary after activist Omoyele Sowore sought to rely on old video recordings of his comments as part of a defense strategy in an ongoing cybercrime trial.
Omokri stated that although he was an outspoken critic of Tinubu during the campaign period his position changed after the Supreme Court ruling of October 2023 which cleared the President of any criminal wrongdoing. According to him once a statement has been openly withdrawn it cannot be relied upon in law to establish the truth of an allegation by another party.
Attention has since shifted to the Federal High Court in Abuja where Sowore is standing trial over social media posts describing the President as a criminal. During proceedings Sowore’s legal team tendered video clips from early 2023 showing Omokri on television claiming he possessed certified documents linking Tinubu to drug offenses in Chicago.
While the court admitted the videos as exhibits Omokri has maintained that they no longer reflect his position, outlining how he acknowledged Tinubu as President in May 2023 withdrew all drug related claims after the Supreme Court judgment and later traveled to Nigeria in 2024 to personally apologize to the President.
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He further cited principles under Nigerian evidence law to argue that retracted statements lack probative value, insisting he is willing to testify under oath that President Tinubu has never been a drug lord.
As the case unfolds analysts say the episode underscores widening rifts among prominent commentators and raises fresh questions about selective prosecution, even as Omokri’s reversal strengthens the Presidency’s response to long standing allegations.