Former presidential aide Reno Omokri has accused Arise TV Morning Show host and veteran journalist Dr. Reuben Abati of political bias in his analysis of President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State.

During the analysis program on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, Dr Abati stated that President Tinubu had committed an impeachable offense and acted as a dictator by suspending Governor Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and the members of the House of Representatives.

In response to the broadcaster’s remark, Omokri described Abati as a liar for suggesting that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) would make laws for Rivers State, adding that he misrepresented Tinubu’s statement.

“If Reuben Abati and the paymasters pulling his strings think that the President acted unconstitutionally and should be impeached, they are entitled to their opinion. In fact, I encourage them to approach a court and seek judicial intervention to declare the State of Emergency imposed on Rivers State illegal.

But to sit in Arise TV's studio and lie that the President gave powers to the Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok Ekwe Ibas (Rtd), to make laws and tell his viewers that that is an impeachable offence is a lie. The President never gave such powers to Mr. Ibas. Reuben Abati lied.

Please fact-check me. I promise to pay for Reuben Abati's wedding to his fifth wife if I am proved wrong.

And rather than apologise to Nigerians for his lies, he went on Arise TV to insult me. Why? Because he cannot counter me intellectually. I would be ashamed if, after four years as a presidential spokesman, all I am suitable for is as a co-newscaster to a breasted hermaphrodite. It is just like being the MD of a bank for four years only to be removed by the Board of Directors and then take a job as a cashier at a Community Bank.

If you cannot write a bestseller, publish a newspaper or start your own TV after four years at Aso Rock, then it is not a surprise that you are the only Presidential spokesman in Nigeria's history who talked a performing President to an electoral loss.

Yoruba say, o mase o!”