Former presidential aide Reno Omokri has recounted how Senator Natasha Akpoti falsely accused him of sexual harassment in 2014, as fresh allegations by Akpoti against Senate President Godswill Akpabio dominate public discourse.
In a statement posted on the social media platform X, Omokri distanced himself from the ongoing controversy, revealing that he had been overwhelmed with media inquiries because of his past experience with Akpoti. He emphasized that he had no knowledge of the allegations against Akpabio and urged the media to leave him out of the matter.
Omokri detailed how Akpoti had once accused him of sexually harassing her at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa during a 2014 reception for then-Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta. However, he was able to prove beyond doubt that the accusation was false.
“Unfortunately for Senator Akpoti, during those dates, I was in the United States of America as President Jonathan’s special envoy. I met and was photographed with multiple U.S. officials, including State Department officials, in Washington, D.C.,” Omokri stated.
To further clear his name, he published his British Airways first-class ticket and diplomatic passport, confirming that he was not in Nigeria at the time of the alleged incident. Following this, Akpoti deleted her accusations and a video in which she had insulted Omokri, his wife, and their newborn daughter.
Omokri revealed that a respected elder from his ethnic group and a prominent Christian clergyman mediated an out-of-court settlement, which led him to drop the matter after his name had been cleared.
Reflecting on the current accusations against Akpabio, Omokri refrained from making any direct claims but suggested that the Senate should investigate the matter thoroughly.
“I have the highest respect and confidence in that institution and its leadership and believe that the right thing to do would be to institute a Senate investigation by the appropriate committee to determine the veracity of the present allegations,” he said.
Omokri concluded by reiterating that he would not be granting interviews on the matter, hoping to put an end to his unwelcome involvement in the controversy.
