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Tinubu Not A Drug Lord, Sowore Can’t Use My Withdrawn Claim As Defence, Says Omokri
Tinubu Not A Drug Lord, Sowore Can’t Use My Withdrawn Claim As Defence, Says Omokri
Tinubu not a drug lord, Sowore can’t use my withdrawn claim as defence, says Omokri. Reno Omokri, ambassador-designate, says Omoyele Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters, cannot rely on past remarks he (Omokri) made about President Bola Tinubu as defence in his ongoing cybercrime trial.
Sowore is standing trial on a two-count charge preferred against him by the Department of State Services (DSS).
The charge stems from Sowore’s August 25 post on X, in which he described Tinubu as a “criminal” while reacting to the president’s remarks on corruption during a trip to Brazil.
At the court session on Tuesday, Marshal Abubakar, Sowore’s counsel, tendered video evidence during cross-examination of the first prosecution witness.
Among the exhibits the defence lawyer tendered was a flash drive containing a raft of video clips featuring Omokri.
When the videos were played in open court, one showed Omokri in a 2023 interview on ARISE TV, where he stated that he had documentary evidence to support his claim that President Tinubu was a “drug lord”.
“Drug lord is not an unprintable name. Bola Tinubu is a known drug lord. I’ve got documents to back it up. I spent my money, went to Chicago, went to court, and got certified true copies. Bola Tinubu is a drug lord,” Omokri was heard saying in the video.
Another clip showed Omokri declaring that he would never work with Tinubu.
However, reacting in a statement, Omokri said he made those statements between 2022 and 2023, believing them to be true at the time.
“I do freely admit that I did make uncomplimentary remarks about the then Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, while believing those comments to be true at the time I uttered them,” Omokri said.
“Subsequent to making those statements, I discovered that they were not, in fact, true, and I publicly withdrew them in writing and on video at various times and through multiple platforms.”
He noted that he had erroneously believed the “false claims” about the president, “…chiefly from Mr Omoyele Sowore’s platform, Saharareporters, and from the mouth of Mr Sowore himself…”
Omokri said he first publicly affirmed Tinubu as president on May 29, 2023, the day he was sworn in, urging Nigerians to “put the past behind them and give him their full support”.
He said he reiterated that position after the supreme court dismissed the petitions challenging Tinubu’s election.
Tinubu Not A Drug Lord
According to Omokri, the apex court judgment clarified issues that had been “misrepresented by some media” and confirmed that there were no criminal charges or convictions against the president.
“On the same day the judgment was rendered, I accepted it, applauded it, and stated that, based on that verdict, my stance on the statements I had made against the President had changed: not only was it wrong, but I fully believed it was fallacious,” he said.
Omokri said he also affirmed the supreme court’s decision during interviews on TVC, News Central Television, and Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’.
He added that he apologised to Tinubu privately on October 1, 2024, after flying into Nigeria from the United States.
“I apologised to him in person, prostrating flat on the ground, before stating that I was misled by publications in the media into making those statements,” he said.
FG Inaugurates PenCom Board, Tasks Members On Protection Of Pension Assets
The Federal Government has inaugurated the Board of the National Pension Commission, reinforcing its commitment to transparency, accountability, and the protection of over ₦28 trillion in pension assets.
Speaking at the ceremony, the SGF, Senator (Dr.) George Akume, charged members to uphold strong corporate governance while maintaining a clear boundary between oversight and management.
PenCom
The Board, led by Chairman Agbaje Opeyemi Olukayode, pledged to safeguard contributors’ funds and support national development, while the Director-General Omolola Oloworaran reaffirmed commitment to collaboration in delivering secure and timely retirement benefits for Nigerians.
EFCC Officials Mark Properties Linked To Malami In Abuja For Forfeiture: “Keep Off”
“Keep off”. The marking of Malami’s alleged properties took place hours after former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar visited his residence.
The EFCC operatives, alongside armed security personnel, who carried out the exercise on Monday morning, were challenged by the former minister and people around him.
In a video posted on social media, Malami asked a man, who appears to be an EFCC official, to show him the court order authorising them to mark and take over his residence.
The official told the former AGF that the anti-graft agency has the right to mark the property since it is under forfeiture.
Malami responded that the forfeiture order has expired and asked the EFCC official to show him the document authorising the marking.
The inscription, “Restrained order EFCC keep off”, was marked on one of the properties linked to Malami.
In January, a federal high court in Abuja ordered the interim forfeiture of 57 properties suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities allegedly linked to Malami and two of his sons, Abdulaziz Malami and Abiru Rahman Malami.
The court directed the EFCC to publish the interim forfeiture order in a national daily newspaper, inviting any individual or organisation with an interest in the assets to appear before the court within 14 days and show cause why a final forfeiture order should not be made.
In February, Malami filed an application challenging the interim forfeiture of the properties linked to him.
RELEASE FROM CUSTODY
The former AGF is standing trial on two separate criminal charges.
Last week, Malami was released from custody after a court granted him bail.
On February 27, a federal high court in Abuja granted bail to Malami and his son, Abdulaziz, in the sum of N200 million each over alleged terrorism-related offences.
EFCC
Malami and his son were arraigned on February 3 on a five-count charge bordering on alleged terrorism financing and illegal possession of firearms.
The Department of State Services (DSS) accused the former minister of refusing to prosecute terrorism financiers whose case files were reportedly forwarded to the office of the attorney-general for prosecution while he was in the office.
The EFCC had arraigned Malami, his son and wife, over allegations bordering on money laundering to the tune of N8,713,923,759.49.
Osimhen Undergoes Successful Surgery Following Injury Against Liverpoo
Victor Osimhen fractured his hand during a challenge with Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate.
Turkish side Galatasaray, on Monday, announced that Super Eagles forward Victor Olorunfemi has undergone surgery following the hand injury he suffered in the UEFA Champions League round of 16 match against Liverpool last week.
Osimhen only managed to play the first half of the game at Anfield before he was subbed off after fracturing his hand during a challenge with Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate.
In a statement on Monday, Galatasaray confirmed that the club’s doctor, Yener İnce, successfully operated on the 27-year-old to repair his hand at Maslak Acıbadem Hospital.
Osimhen
“In the away match we played against Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16, our player Victor Osimhen, who was injured and unable to continue the game, underwent a successful operation today at Maslak Acıbadem Hospital performed by our club doctor Op. Dr. Yener İnce,” the Galatasaray said.
The club added that it “extend our wishes for a speedy recovery to our footballer and hope for his return to the field at the earliest.”
Galatasaray would hope that Osimhen recovers in time to help the reigning Turkish champions in their fight with Fenerbahce to retain the league title.
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