By Lateef Ibrahim Abuja
Otunba Segun Showunmi, a Nigerian politician, public affairs analyst, and media commentator best known for serving as spokesperson to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar during the 2019 and 2023 presidential campaigns under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has described foremost economist and former Chairman of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, as the strongest opposition candidate currently in the race for Nigeria’s presidency under the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Speaking on Thursday night during an interview on Arise News’ daily programme with Charles Aniagolu, Showunmi, who is also the Convener of The Alternative Platform, a national opposition movement advocating a new generation of democratic leadership, said that after reviewing Hayatu-Deen’s credentials and experience, he believes the ADC aspirant represents the kind of leadership Nigeria urgently needs at this critical moment.
According to Showunmi, Hayatu-Deen possesses the economic competence, technocratic depth, and private sector experience necessary to confront Nigeria’s worsening economic crisis and reposition the country for sustainable growth.
“That is the guy that has the best CV,” Showunmi said, adding, “he is a breath of fresh air. I think that he is quite brave to look at the political space and offer up his experience to serve.”
He further argued that Nigerians must begin to pay closer attention to the ideas, competence, and policy depth of presidential aspirants, rather than allowing critical national conversations to be consumed entirely by political theatrics and personality contests.
Showunmi also reflected on the role of his former principal, Atiku Abubakar, acknowledging the former Vice President’s place in Nigeria’s democratic history since 1999, but suggesting that due to fatigue the country may now require a different kind of leadership energy to confront its present challenges.
According to him, while Atiku possesses significant institutional memory and political experience, questions remain about whether the former Vice President still represents the kind of leadership Nigerians need at this particular moment in the country’s history.
Speaking on Rotimi Amaechi, Showunmi said: “I think Rotimi is running on entitlement and ambition.
“He must have convinced himself that just because he came second in the last presidential primaries of the APC, maybe one more try may make sense.
“I have tried very hard to listen to him say some big things that can excite me, but I have not heard them. That does not mean he cannot, but right now, he does not move me”, he said.
While analysing Peter Obi, Showunmi acknowledged the former governor’s political energy and support base, but suggested that broader national consensus and coalition-building would remain critical to any successful presidential bid.
“I think that for Peter, there is energy there. Any fair-minded person knows that he has to be fair for his own bloc to be able to lead here,” he said.
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