‘He called Tinubu a drug baron’: Reno Omokri’s nomination as ambassador divides Nigerian Senate

There is tension in the Nigerian Senate following the nomination of former media aide to Ex-President, Goodluck Jonathan, Reno Omokri’s name in the list of ambassadors forwarded to the Red Chamber for screening and confirmation.

According to report, Omokri’s past criticism of President Tinubu created a discord that has now led to factions within the Senate, prompting the temporary shutdown of the lawmakers’ internal communication platform.

Omokri’s nomination has generated reactions from some Nigerians, including opposition figures, due to his previous labelling of President Tinubu as a “drug baron.”

SaharaReporters gathered that Senate President Goodswill Akpabio was instrumental to the inclusion of Omokri’s name in the list of the ambassadors, a move which was allegedly seen as a political reward.

Following the opposition to Reno’s nomination, Akpabio is reportedly mobilising his allies to ensure the nominee scales through during the screening and confirmation.

“The senate president had nominated Omokri as a reward for the hatchet job he did for him,” one source disclosed. “However, Akpabio is rallying some of his clique to screen Omokri out on the claim that he once attacked Tinubu and called him a drug baron.”

It was also gathered that Senator Osita Ngwu of Enugu West has taken the mandate of mobilising resistance against Omokri’s confirmation.

Ngwu is said to be urging his colleagues to reject the nominee on grounds of impropriety, arguing that an individual who made such serious allegations against a sitting President cannot credibly represent the nation internationally.

“Senator Osita Ngwu, representing Enugu West Senatorial District, is reported to be rallying senators to reject Omokri,” an insider noted. “Ngwu has been attacking colleagues against the move.”

It was also learnt that the disagreement has led to the locking of the Senate’s routine communication channel, a WhatsApp group for lawmakers.

Senator Ngwu, reportedly an administrator of the group, allegedly disabled responses to halt the confrontations.

The decision to disable responses angered some senators who felt they were being silence. Among them is Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who publicly challenged Ngwu over the group shutdown and demanded that the platform be reopened, and comments deleted during the altercation be restored.

She wrote on her official Facebook page, “Dear Senator Osita Ngwu of Enugu Enugu West Senatorial District, you will open responses in the Senators WhatsApp forum and repost my deleted comments,” she posted. “Else I’ll bring the discussion to the public domain.”

Ngwu reportedly insisted that anyone who had called the President a “drug baron” was unfit to represent the country.

He said, “Someone who called the President of Nigeria a drug baron and who has not retracted the statement should not represent Nigeria and Nigerians in the international and diplomatic society.

“It’s about the office of the President not about an individual. Meanwhile, bring it up…” Despite the significant uproar, the Senate is scheduled to commence the screening of all ambassadorial nominees on Tuesday.

Reno Omokri was one of the fierce critics of President Tinubu before changing his stance and drawing support for him on social media. He has also done rounds of interviews highlighting the achievements of the President, including visiting him at the State House.

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