Former presidential aide Reno Omokri has strongly criticized former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, dismissing his recent claims of an impending arrest as a strategy to gain public sympathy.
Omokri labeled El-Rufai as a “pathological liar” and “master of manipulation,” accusing him of fabricating stories to further his personal interests.
Omokri referred to El-Rufai’s past involvement in spreading falsehoods, citing Segun Adeniyi’s book Power, Politics, and Death, which detailed how El-Rufai helped create the myth of a “cabal” surrounding late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua to undermine the First Lady, Turai Yar’Adua. Omokri questioned El-Rufai’s credibility, suggesting that if he could lie about a dying man and his grieving wife, he would not hesitate to lie about others, including President Bola Tinubu.
He also referenced former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s autobiography My Watch, where Obasanjo described El-Rufai as someone with a “penchant for reputation savaging” and an inability to be loyal to anyone but himself.
Omokri dismissed El-Rufai’s claim that he postponed an overseas study to stay in Nigeria and challenge the government, suggesting instead that El-Rufai might not even be able to secure visas to Western countries due to his past controversial statements. Omokri recalled the backlash El-Rufai faced for his 2019 threat against foreign election observers, which drew strong condemnation from the European Union.
According to Omokri, El-Rufai is not staying in Nigeria out of patriotism, but because he has nowhere else to go. Omokri further accused El-Rufai of falsely alleging that he and Senator Shehu Sani were recruited to tarnish his reputation. Omokri responded by questioning how they could destroy a reputation El-Rufai never had.
Omokri concluded that El-Rufai’s claims of an impending arrest were likely a diversion tactic to cover up his inability to leave the country, labeling El-Rufai as someone who lies, manipulates, and deceives for personal gain.
“El-Rufai is not staying in Nigeria out of patriotism. He is staying because he has nowhere to run,” Omokri asserted.
” How can we destroy a reputation he never had?” Omokri retorted.
“El-Rufai lies, manipulates, and deceives. That’s what he does best,” Omokri added.
