Showunmi asks journalists to fact-check politicians ahead of 2027

A member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, Otunba Segun Showunmi, has asked Nigerian journalists to fact-check politicians from all parties as the country moves towards the 2027 general elections.

He spoke at a press conference in Kaduna on Sunday, where he said the media should not allow political campaigns to be built on falsehood, ethnic or religious sentiment, or content manipulated with artificial intelligence.

Showunmi said the people who run newspapers, radio, television and online platforms carry a heavy duty. "The stability of a nation is in the hands of those of you who own bylines, who have the microphone, who are in charge of everything communication," he told the journalists.

He asked them to challenge both the ruling party and the opposition when they stray from issues. "If somebody, if I'm telling lies, stop me. If they are telling lies, stop them," he said.

Worry over AI and online falsehood

Showunmi warned that people without training can now reach large audiences from a phone, spreading invented stories and stirring up trouble. He said the same tools, including AI, should not be used to push young people into political confrontation.

He also thanked Kaduna residents for the reception given to President Bola Tinubu and his team during their visit to the state on Saturday. He said he had feared hostility after reading reports that people would tear posters, but the visit passed peacefully.

He described Kaduna as a place where different ethnic groups and faiths have long lived together, calling it "the Lagos of the North", and urged politicians not to damage that history.

On the 2027 election, Showunmi asked Nigerians, especially in the North, to back Tinubu's re-election so that reforms can continue and younger leaders can be prepared. He criticised what he called endless presidential ambition by some established politicians, saying it blocks younger people from coming forward. He also called for a clearer understanding on power-sharing between regions to reduce tension.

He defended the government's record on roads, education, wages, pensions and security, and cited a reported cut in dialysis costs from ₦50,000 to ₦20,000. Those figures were not checked at the event, and the scope of the dialysis reduction was not explained.

Showunmi added that the President alone cannot lift Nigerians out of poverty. He asked journalists to also scrutinise governors and local government chairmen, since every Nigerian lives under one local government or another.

He said his visit was also to hear the concerns of journalists and carry them back to the campaign.