Former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh, has confirmed that Reno Omokri played a key role in the appointment of Segun Showunmi as the spokesperson to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar during the 2018 presidential campaign.
Speaking in a phone interview with journalists, Metuh recalled how the decision unfolded.
“It was in 2018, when I was still actively involved in politics. Reno reached out to me, asking for a recommendation for Atiku’s media team,” Metuh said. “I initially thought of Deji Adeyanju, but he had already left the PDP. So I suggested Segun Showunmi instead.”
Metuh said he asked Showunmi to contact Omokri directly, which he did.
“That was it. I made the connection, and everything moved forward from there.”
He emphasized that there was no confusion surrounding the process.
“There is no controversy about how Segun got the role. It was straightforward.”
Metuh added that, to his knowledge, neither Omokri nor Showunmi remains an active PDP member, saying:
“So really, there’s no need for anyone to stir up drama.”
Omokri, a former aide to President Goodluck Jonathan, had earlier shared the backstory in a recent episode of The Honest Bunch podcast and reiterated the details in a Facebook post. According to him, he not only received Showunmi’s CV after Metuh’s recommendation but also personally negotiated his salary over a call from California before informing Atiku.
“If I’m anything at all, I’m a meticulous record keeper,” Omokri wrote.
“Segun later returned to thank Metuh for the recommendation. I have no interest in controversy, but I won’t hesitate to share documented evidence if anyone chooses to deny the facts.”
The confirmation from Metuh appears to put the matter to rest, solidifying the behind-the-scenes account of how Showunmi joined Atiku Abubakar’s media campaign team in 2018.