Mike Arnold, the former Mayor of Blanco, Texas, and founder of Africa Arise International, has once again made serious allegations against Reno Omokri, a former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan. Arnold had previously described Omokri as a deceitful and hypocritical individual driven by self-interest rather than genuine public service.
Recently, Arnold revealed that Omokri invited him to Nigeria under the guise of a fact-finding mission amid ongoing debates about alleged Christian persecution in the country-claims that have found support among certain U.S. lawmakers.
In a series of tweets, Arnold accused Omokri of pressuring him to deny the existence of religious violence, only to be let down by what Arnold described as Omokri’s deceptive and manipulative tactics.
While Omokri has not publicly addressed these accusations, Arnold has escalated his claims, stating that Omokri paid a hefty sum of $3,000 to the Arise TV crew to guarantee a slot for the fact-finding interview, a move that has since stirred controversy.
On his X platform last Sunday, Arnold reiterated that Omokri aimed to steer the interview’s narrative to benefit his backers but was ultimately blocked by the Arise TV team, who stood firm on upholding journalistic standards.
Arnold described the ordeal: “After enduring a 30-hour trip, we were whisked straight from the airport to orchestrated photo ops with a supposed CAN representative and three imams, then hurried to the studio for a live prime-time broadcast.”
He added, “There was no opportunity for a bathroom break, water, or even a moment to freshen up. I had to beg just to change into a clean shirt. Omokri insisted I appear on air in my rumpled, travel-worn attire.”
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Arnold continued, “My hair was a mess from the flight, and I felt uneasy, but Omokri had shelled out $3,000 for this TV segment. It was clearly a setup intended to trap me into endorsing his version of events.”
He further explained the studio setup: “The set is designed for two guests, with a third guest placed in a separate room. Usually, the host and the main guests share the primary set, while the coordinator waits elsewhere.”
“However, Omokri demanded the prime guest seat on the main set. The host resisted strongly, resulting in a tense standoff that I only managed to capture at the last second.”
“As the broadcast countdown began, Omokri threatened to walk out, forcing the host to reluctantly give in, visibly frustrated.”
Arnold summed up the incident by saying, “This conduct is the very definition of sleaze.”