Former national publicity secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh, has backed Reno Omokri’s claim that he was responsible for hiring Segun Showunmi as spokesperson to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
Speaking with newsmen via a phone call, Metuh confirmed Omokri’s statement, stating, “It happened in 2018 when I was still active in politics. Reno called me to recommend someone for Atiku. I initially thought of Deji Adeyanju, but he had left the PDP. I had encouraged him to form an advocacy group instead.”
Metuh added that he eventually suggested Segun Showunmi. “I remembered Segun and recommended him to Reno. I told Segun to call Reno, and he did. That was it.”
He stressed that there was no confusion regarding how Showunmi emerged as Atiku’s spokesperson, saying, “There is absolutely no controversy about that.”
Before ending the conversation, Metuh remarked, “I don’t think Reno and Segun are still in the PDP anymore, so there is really no controversy there.”
Omokri, a former presidential aide to Goodluck Jonathan, had earlier revealed on ‘The Honest Bunch’ podcast that he was instrumental in hiring several aides for Atiku, including Showunmi.
He also stated, in a Facebook post, that he personally negotiated Showunmi’s salary during that time.
According to him, “If I am nothing at all, I am a meticulous record keeper. In May 2018, Olisa Metuh, the former spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party, recommended Segun Showunmi for the role of spokesman to Waziri Atiku Abubakar.
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“Mr. Metuh asked Segun Showunmi to send his resume (what we call a CV) to me. Thereafter, Olisa Metuh asked Segun Showunmi to contact me for a job interview.
“I spoke to Segun Showunmi from California and negotiated his salary with him. I thereafter informed Waziri Atiku Abubakar, and Segun Showunmi was announced as his spokesman on the terms I negotiated with him.
“If there is any controversy or if anybody is using foul language to deny the obvious truth, then I urge the media to contact Mr. Olisa Metuh, who is an eyewitness and who was the one who recommended Segun Showunmi to me for employment as Waziri Atiku’s spokesman.
“After he was employed, Mr. Segun Showunmi returned to Mr. Olisa Metuh to thank him for recommending him to me.
“I do not want to be forced to publish documentary evidence. I would rather not. But if I have to, then I can. I urge anyone wanting to deny the obvious to think twice. Again, I repeat that if I am nothing at all, at least I am a meticulous record keeper.”