Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has labeled Reno Omokri, former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, as a political mercenary hired by the government of the day.
El-Rufai made this statement on his X handle on Monday, posting images of Omokri protesting against President Bola Tinubu in London with placards reading, “No drug baron in Aso Rock.”
El-Rufai’s tweets highlighted the “interesting lifecycle of Wendell Simlin,” a name allegedly used by Omokri in a past case of identity theft. An American woman had accused Omokri of using her son’s name, Wendell Simlin, to link former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Lamido Sanusi, to Boko Haram.
The phrase “No drug baron in Aso Rock” references long-standing allegations against Tinubu during his time in the United States, where he faced accusations of heroin trafficking and money laundering in the 1990s. Reports from U.S. court documents revealed that Tinubu forfeited over $460,000 in alleged drug proceeds as part of a settlement deal. These allegations have remained a focal point for critics questioning his fitness for office.
Omokri had tweeted on Sunday, accusing El-Rufai of expressing frustration at not being made a minister by attacking the funding of a rail project in Lagos by the Federal Government. Omokri pointed out that under Buhari, Nigeria took out a $2 billion loan to build a railway in Niger Republic without any complaints from El-Rufai.
In response, El-Rufai shared pictures of Omokri protesting against Tinubu’s election and making unflattering remarks about him. He referred to Omokri as a political mercenary retained by any person or government that can pay.
