The Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC) has asked the National Assembly not to approve Reno Omokri’s nomination as an ambassador. Speaking to reporters in Abuja on Tuesday, the group’s national president, Igboayaka O. Igboayaka, said Omokri’s nomination is a “national embarrassment” and could bring shame to Nigeria on the global stage.
Igboayaka said Omokri does not have the right attitude or values to represent the country. He described him as “a well-known blatherskite, a gasbag, or a whiffler” who had “disgraced himself in Nigeria’s political landscape to satisfy his paymaster.” He warned that confirming Omokri would lead to “international shame and disgrace.”
He pointed to a statement Omokri made on December 17, 2022, where he accused President Bola Tinubu of drug use. Omokri reportedly said, “If anybody can get close enough to Bola Tinubu to take a sample of his hair or urine, this election will be over! Because with his hair or urine sample, a laboratory can analyse if he still takes drugs and what type of drugs he takes.” He also allegedly said, “Tinubu is a known drug lord who belongs to jail, not Aso Rock! I went to Chicago myself and obtained verified court documents.” Another quote attributed to him reads, “It will be a shame if this man anywhere gets close to Aso Rock. A nation with a drug lord president is a nation whose international passport automatically suspects.”
Igboayaka said that if Omokri is confirmed, those statements could be seen as official views of the Nigerian government. He warned, “If Reno Omokri is allowed to represent Nigeria internationally, he will be considered a constituted authority, and his statements can be cited as verified facts from a constituted authority.” He added, “Therefore, the senate confirming Reno Omokri’s ambassadorial nomination is confirming his statement that Bola Tinubu is a known drug lord.” He continued, “it now means one can quote, according to the ambassador of Nigeria, that ‘Bola Tinubu is a known drug lord.’” He said this would be “an implied endorsement by the Nigerian state through its representative.”
He also said Omokri “lacks the character, quality, integrity, speech composition and disposition” needed for a diplomatic role. He asked lawmakers to reject the nomination to avoid embarrassment and “undue international criticism” for the president.
Omokri is one of 32 people nominated for ambassadorial roles. His name has sparked backlash because of his past harsh comments about Tinubu, including calling him a “drug baron.” Omokri had also said in the past that he would never accept a role from Tinubu.
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