Africa
Fact-Checker or Fraud? Reno Omokri: The Ultimate Political Weathervane – A Case Study in Hypocrisy -By Jeff Okoroafor
True leaders and commentators stand by their principles, regardless of power shifts. Omokri stands only for Omokri—and that is precisely why history will judge him harshly.
In Nigerian socio-political discourse, few figures are as polarizing—and as contradictory—as Reno Omokri. A self-styled “fact-checker” and political commentator, Omokri has built a brand on controversy, hyperbole, and outright deception. His public persona is a study in contradictions: a man who preaches morality while engaging in character assassination, a critic of sycophancy who grovels before power, and an alleged intellectual whose arguments crumble under scrutiny.
Worse still, Omokri exhibits signs of emotional instability—swinging from unrestrained praise for those in power to venomous attacks on perceived enemies, often within the same week. His political allegiances shift with the wind, revealing a man driven not by principle but by opportunism.
This op-ed dissects Reno Omokri’s duplicity, his erratic behavior, and his sycophantic tendencies, proving that he is an unreliable voice in Nigeria’s political landscape.
Reno Omokri’s greatest talent is his ability to contradict himself shamelessly, depending on who holds power.
During the 2015-2019 period, as former President Goodluck Jonathan’s aide, Omokri was one of Buhari’s fiercest critics, labeling him “incompetent,” “clueless,” and “a certificate forger.” Yet, in a stunning reversal after Buhari’s tenure, Omokri began softening his stance, even praising Buhari’s “integrity” when it suited his new political alliances.
Similarly, before the 2023 elections, Omokri was a vocal PDP supporter, attacking Tinubu and the APC relentlessly. However, in a predictable turn, post-2023 elections saw him defending Tinubu’s government, attacking Peter Obi and Labour Party supporters while downplaying the administration’s failures.
This pattern matters because a principled commentator holds consistent values. Omokri, however, adjusts his rhetoric based on who is in power—proving he is not a truth-teller but an opportunist.
Omokri’s online behavior reveals a deeply unstable individual. His unhinged rants frequently devolve into hurling insults at critics, labeling them “IPOB miscreants,” “dullards,” or “haters” at the slightest provocation. He often peddles paranoid conspiracies, accusing opponents of being “paid” or “sponsored” without a shred of evidence. When challenged, he quickly plays the victim, claiming persecution for “speaking truth.”
A clear case study is his pathological obsession with attacking Peter Obi. Despite claiming to be a “neutral analyst,” he spends an inordinate amount of time spreading falsehoods about Obi—demonstrating not objective criticism but an irrational, almost personal vendetta.
Omokri’s greatest shame is his shameless bootlicking of those in power. Under Jonathan, he denied all corruption allegations, even vigorously defending the infamous Diezani Madueke. Fast forward to today under Tinubu, and he dismisses Nigeria’s economic crisis as merely “global,” despite having blamed Buhari relentlessly for similar issues.
His selective amnesia is staggering. He once condemned fuel subsidy removal under Buhari as “anti-people,” but now spins elaborate justifications for Tinubu’s identical policy. He criticized Buhari’s foreign trips as wasteful, yet maintains thunderous silence as Tinubu jets off on monthly globetrotting adventures.
The pattern is undeniable: Omokri doesn’t critique power—he flatters it. His so-called “analysis” is dictated not by facts or principles, but by whoever currently holds influence.
Beyond personal hypocrisy, Omokri’s actions have real consequences. His constant stream of disinformation—whether about Peter Obi, IPOB, or government policies—actively misleads the public. His divisive rhetoric, often dripping with ethnic undertones, fuels dangerous tensions in an already fractured society. Perhaps most damagingly, by masquerading as a “fact-checker” while peddling falsehoods, he erodes trust in genuine investigative journalism.
Reno Omokri is not a thinker—he is a political mercenary. His flip-flopping, emotional outbursts, and sycophancy expose a man utterly devoid of integrity. Nigeria deserves better than propagandists who switch allegiances as easily as changing clothes.
True leaders and commentators stand by their principles, regardless of power shifts. Omokri stands only for Omokri—and that is precisely why history will judge him harshly.
A man who speaks from both sides of his mouth deserves to be heard from neither.
Jeff Okoroafor is a social accountability advocate and a political commentator focused on governance, accountability, and social justice in West Africa.
