Ohanaeze Youths Want Tinubu to Cancel Omokri’s Ambassadorial Nomination

Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia

The Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYA) has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to drop Reno Omokri from the list of ambassadorial nominees over his untrustworthy inclination.

The OYC expressed its objection to Omokri’s nomination in a statement issued yesterday by its National President, Igboayaka Igboayaka, noting that it was contradictory that somebody that distrusted the president is now deemed fit to become Nigeria’s ambassador.

Citing series of posts that Omokri placed on his Facebook wall in December 2022, the OYC leader reminded Tinubu of how the now ambassadorial nominee caused a buzz in the internet when he called the president “a known drug lord, who belongs in jail, not Aso Rock.”

He expressed surprise over Omokri’s clearance for ambassadorial position, saying it was evident that the security agencies did not carry out due diligence in their investigation of his past.

“Clearing Reno Omokri by security agents for ambassadorial post is an indication that his allegations against Bola Ahmed Tinubu is factual, because according to Reno, ‘Tinubu is a known drug lord’,” he said.

The Ohanaeze youth leader argued that “clearing Reno Omokri to represent Nigeria as a diplomat would mean a strong endorsement, institutionalization, and approval of his (past) statements about President Bola Tinubu”.

To reinforce its opposition to Omokri’s nomination, the OYC delved into his December 17, 2022, post in which he claimed that “I went to Chicago myself and obtained verified documents. It will be a shame if this man gets anywhere close to Aso Rock.”

In the same post, Omokri was quoted as saying: “If anybody can get close enough to Bola Ahmed Tinubu to take a sample of his hair or urine this election will be over! Because with his hair and urine sample, a laboratory can analyze if he still takes drugs and what type of drugs he takes.”

Igboayaka, therefore, dropped a poser: “If Nigeria’s security agencies cleared Reno to represent Nigeria, does it imply that Reno’s allegations of a drug-related issue involving Tinubu (have been) substantiated?”

He advised Nigeria security agencies “to maintain their credibility (and) demand that Reno Omokri furnish them with the ‘verified drugs documents from Chicago’ which he asserted he acquired in 2022 and furnish the drug deal business to Nigerians.”

According to the youth leader, Omokri has failed integrity test for him to have spilled out unsavoury and unsubstantiated allegations against Tinubu, only to turn back to accept an offer to serve in his government.

According to the OYC President, “Reno Omokri’s criticism of the Nigerian government and certain politicians seems to be motivated by personal political gains rather than a commitment to strengthening democracy in Nigeria.”

He urged the presidency to note the implication of giving the controversial Omokri an ambassadorial appointment given his antecedents.

“The presidency should know that clearing of Reno Omokri implies and confirms the perception of Nigerians that the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration lacks integrity and credibility,” Igboayaka said.