A fresh war of words has erupted in Nigeria’s political and media space as Reno Omokri publicly called out veteran journalist Dele Momodu over what he described as “blatant untruths” regarding President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In a strongly worded statement, Omokri challenged Momodu to substantiate claims that “Tinubu acolytes” went on air to mock former President Olusegun Obasanjo, particularly over the reception accorded to Tinubu during his recent visit to the United Kingdom hosted by King Charles III.
Omokri dismissed the allegation as baseless and accused Momodu of attempting to create unnecessary tension between Tinubu and Obasanjo. He emphasized his personal respect for Obasanjo, noting the former president’s recognition of his work in a recent publication.
At the heart of the dispute is Momodu’s comparison between Tinubu’s recent state visit to the UK and the 2003 visit of Queen Elizabeth II to Nigeria during Obasanjo’s administration for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). Omokri argued that the comparison was fundamentally flawed, stressing that a state visit represents the highest level of diplomatic honor, surpassing events like CHOGM, which he described as an “official visit” in diplomatic terms.
The controversy also extended to Nigeria’s debt profile. Omokri pushed back against claims—attributed to Momodu and echoed by Peter Obi—that the country’s debt has quadrupled under Tinubu’s administration. According to him, Tinubu inherited a debt burden of approximately $113 billion, which has since been reduced to about $103.9 billion.
He further argued that much of the perceived increase in debt stems from currency conversion distortions following the naira’s flotation, accusing critics of misleading the public by converting dollar-denominated loans into naira at current exchange rates.
Citing international recognition, Omokri claimed that Nigeria’s economic outlook is improving, pointing to positive signals from global institutions and analysts. He maintained that the current administration is not only managing inherited debt but also repaying loans at a faster rate than previous governments.
In a sharp closing remark, Omokri urged Momodu to adhere to factual reporting, warning that failure to do so undermines journalistic credibility.
The exchange has since sparked widespread reactions across political and media circles, highlighting ongoing divisions over the performance and perception of the Tinubu administration.