President Bola Tinubu is celebrating former presidential aide Reno Omokri’s 50th birthday today.
President Tinubu praised the author and influencer “for his dutifulness in providing constructive opinions on national issues, regardless of his political disposition” in a statement Sunday night.
“Mr. Omokri, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, was the Special Assistant on Digital Media to former President Goodluck Jonathan from 2011 to 2015,” presidential spokesperson Ajuri Ngelale said.
“President Tinubu wishes Mr. Omokri many more years in good health as he contributes to national development.”
Before the 2023 elections, PDP member Mr. Omokri was a vocal critic of President Tinubu and his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
But the former special assistant on digital media to President Goodluck Jonathan’s political posturing has been intriguing in recent months.
While still a PDP member and supporter of Atiku Abubakar, one of Nigeria’s leading opposition figures, Mr. Omokri appears to have warmed up to President Tinubu and his government, becoming one of their most vocal and effective defenders.
Mr. Reno posted on X (formerly Twitter) in response to Tinubu government criticism of Abuja’s growing insecurity, where abductions and killings have occurred:
“This idea that Tinubu failed because kidnappers killed 87 Nigerians in Abuja since May 29, 2023, is ridiculous. Verify my facts. Chicago had 617 murders in 2023. New York City killed 386 people. In the first three weeks of 2024, St. Louis has seen 70 murders.
You say Tinubu failed after 86 deaths in 7 months in the FCT, which is larger in land mass and population than Chicago, New York City, and St. Louis combined? Perspective matters.
