The former presidential media aide, Reno Omokri, has taken aim at seasoned journalist and broadcaster Dr. Reuben Abati, alleging that he displays political favoritism in his assessment of President Bola Tinubu's statements about leadership in Rivers State.
On Wednesday, March 19, 2025, a video went viral wherein Omokri reacted to an Arise TV segment. In this segment, Abati alleged that the President was behaving like a dictator due to his suggestion that the FEC would be responsible for making laws specific to Rivers State.
Omokri dismissed the allegation, asserting that Abati had distorted the President’s statement.
The President did not say that. If you watch the recording of the President’s address on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, what was stated is that the new Administrator won’t be enacting any legislation for Rivers State.
Nonetheless, he will have the authority to create regulations, which will be overseen by the Federal Executive Council and subsequently issued by the President. Pay attention to what the President says.
The President didn’t indicate that the Administrator would create laws. Instead, what was explicitly mentioned is that the Administrator will develop regulations under the oversight of the Federal Executive Council. These will be regulations, not laws," explained the ex-presidential media adviser.
Omokri went on to criticize Abati’s grasp of governance and legal differences.
He stated: "There is indeed a distinction. If someone with a PhD cannot differentiate between a regulation and a law, it reflects poorly on the state of Nigeria's educational system."
He likewise cautioned about deceptive stories that might spark unwarranted unrest.
He stated, "For those who heard Dr. Abati's broadcast and might now begin to push for the National Assembly to impeach the President, I'll explain it further."
A law serves as a legal structure that grants power to a government or an authority. On the other hand, a regulation consists of a series of guidelines that enable a government or an authority to implement a law effectively.
Omokri likewise cast doubt on Abati’s motives, implying that political prejudice could have affected his perspective.
“He either didn’t pay attention to the President, or if he did observe the President, then he fails to grasp the difference between a regulation and a law. There’s also another possibility: He might have been influenced by his own political biases,” he said.
In closing, Omokri urged Nigerian media organizations to maintain a clear distinction between journalistic news coverage and individual viewpoints.
"That's why Nigerian television stations must ensure they do not present the views of politically exposed individuals as factual reporting. Viewers tuning into these channels should understand that what they're seeing isn’t objective news, but rather someone's personal perspective," he stated.
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