Nigeria’s ambassador-designate to Mexico and former presidential spokesman, Reno Omokri, has said all presidential candidates in the 2027 election have records with the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), insisting that having an FBI record does not amount to having a criminal record.
Omokri made the assertion during an interview on the City Boy Movement Podcast while responding to questions about documents relating to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He said Nigerians must distinguish between an FBI record and a criminal record, accusing those pushing claims of criminality against Tinubu of deliberately confusing the public.
“All of the candidates in this election have FBI records. All of them.”
Omokri said his claim was a fact and not merely an assertion.
“This they are saying that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has is this an assertion? It’s not an assertion. It’s a fact. If you want me to prove it, I’ll prove it.”
He explained that the existence of a record with the FBI should not automatically be interpreted as evidence of criminal conduct.
“A record is just that a record. There’s a difference between a record and a criminal record.”
According to him, FBI records could arise from different interactions with the United States authorities, including visa applications and background checks.
“The FBI has a mandate that if anybody applies for an American visa, if anybody applies for background checks in the United States, you have an FBI record.”
He accused those raising the issue of FBI records in the political debate of taking advantage of what he described as public ignorance of the difference between ordinary records and criminal records.
“They are counting on your ignorance to just bandy words, and then because our people are very emotional —‘Oh, FBI records!’”
Omokri also maintained that there was no criminal FBI record against President Tinubu.
He referred to a document he said was from the FBI, through the American Embassy, relating to a record check requested by Nigerian authorities.
According to Omokri, the document showed negative results for criminal arrest records and warrants against Tinubu.
“There is no criminal FBI record against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. There’s nothing like that.”
He also dismissed claims that documents currently being discussed represented a fresh criminal case against the President.
“There is no 2026 case. There’s none. What happened is that a gentleman by the name of Aaron Greenspan filed a FOIA request.”
Omokri said the request concerned documents relating to an old investigation.
“It’s not like there is a new case. There is no case. This is a 1993 investigation.”
