28/08/2026
Reno Omokri shares 1996 photo of Tinubu, dismisses Atiku’s ‘90-year-old’ claim
Reno Omokri, Nigeria’s ambassador to Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala and Nicaragua, has dismissed former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s claim that President Bola Tinubu is 90 years old.
In a Facebook post on Friday, Omokri shared a 1996 photograph of Tinubu and Dele Momodu, chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), arguing that the picture raised questions about Atiku’s claim.
Recall that the ADC presidential hopeful, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has dismissed concerns about his age ahead of 2027, while throwing a jab at President Bola Tinubu, claiming the President is 90.
In a BBC Hausa interview, Atiku was asked if being “nearly 80” by 2027 would affect his capacity to lead.
“Do I look to you like someone who has reached 80 years of age?_” he asked.
“You went and voted for someone who is 80, I mean 90 years old. How old is President Bola, 90?”
When the interviewer corrected him that Tinubu was not yet 80, Atiku fired back: “_Do I look to you like someone who has reached 80 years of age?”
Ambassador-designate Reno Omokri responded by posting a 1996 photo of Tinubu and Dele Momodu taken in London.
“If Asiwaju is indeed 90 years old, as recently alleged, then Dele Momodu must be in his eighties,” Omokri wrote.
“Does the gentleman on the right look 60? Does he even look 50? I have not altered this photo. Dele Momodu is alive to testify to its authenticity.”
Omokri added that it would be “morally unacceptable” for Momodu to stay silent while a former benefactor is accused of being a nonagenarian in poor health.
Atiku on coalition
The former Vice President also denied being an obstacle to the opposition coalition.
“That is a baseless accusation. I was the one who initiated the coalition. Nobody else. I, Atiku Abubakar, started it,” he said.
He noted that Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso were the only major figures who had left.
“It was just Kwankwaso… then he left. Yes, and also Peter Obi. The rest of us are still here continuing our work.”
Atiku said he remains optimistic that opposition leaders will still unite ahead of 2027.
