Ambassador-designate to Mexico, Reno Omokri, has defended President Bola Tinubu over the controversy surrounding his records with the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI, insisting that the documents do not establish any criminal record against the president.
Speaking during a Channels Television interview on Sunday Politics, Omokri said the controversy over Tinubu’s FBI records was being misunderstood ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
He argued that having an FBI record does not necessarily mean that an individual has a criminal record, noting that records can arise from interactions with US authorities, including visa and background-check processes.
According to Omokri, the records held by US authorities can contain sensitive personal information, including fingerprints, eye scans, blood group, DNA and other biometric or family details.
He therefore argued that Tinubu’s reported opposition to the further release of some records should not automatically be interpreted as an attempt to hide criminal activity.
“There’s a difference between a record and a criminal record,” Omokri said, maintaining that there was no criminal FBI record against the president.
His comments come amid an ongoing legal dispute in the United States over the release of FBI and other federal records concerning Tinubu.
The controversy dates back to Freedom of Information Act requests seeking records connected to investigations from the early 1990s. TheCable reported that Tinubu has asked a US district court to reject a motion seeking additional records, citing privacy protections under US law.
The dispute has become a recurring political issue as parties and politicians position themselves ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 presidential election.
Omokri, however, maintained that the existence of FBI records should not by itself be presented as evidence of wrongdoing, urging Nigerians to distinguish between ordinary agency records and records establishing criminal conduct.
