FocusNigerianews

This reads more like frustration than fact. No one is strangulating political parties in Nigeria. What we are witnessing is the natural consequence of political competition colliding with accountability under the law. People should be careful not to conflate personal political setbacks with a collapse of democracy. Political parties are not entitled to immunity from internal crisis, defections, or the consequences of poor strategic judgment. If anything, what is being exposed is a failure of opposition cohesion not the death of democratic space. If ambition is no longer aligning with political reality, the honest course is to acknowledge the limits of one’s journey. Politics, like life, is generational. The younger cadre will inevitably come of age, and leadership is ultimately judged by what it has seeded in those coming behind. You cannot neglect that responsibility and then lament the outcomes when the moment shifts. On the matter of investigations or enforcement actions...

Unite or Break Up": Segun Showunmi Issues Stark Ultimatum on Nigeria’s Tribal Politics ​Abeokuta-Otunba Segun Showunmi, the Convener of the political movement The Alternative, has issued a bold challenge to Nigeria’s opposition forces, urging them to move beyond ethnic sentiments and establish formal, ideologically driven political parties to save the nation's democracy. ​Speaking on Splash FM on Friday, Showunmi argued that the current political landscape—dominated by the APC, PDP, and Labour Party—requires a fundamental shift toward institutionalized politics rather than personality-driven movements. ​Showunmi emphasized that those seeking to challenge the status quo must stop "trying" and start "becoming."  He called on emerging political groups to formally apply for registration and build structures based on clear ideologies. ​"They need to become a political party and apply for registration and try to create an ideological political pa...

2027: Duty, Not Ambition.  Why Ogun Must Choose Intention Over Impulse As conversations about the 2027 governorship election in Ogun State gradually gather momentum, it is important that we pause and ask a simple but profound question: What exactly should Ogun people desire in their next governor? Elections, particularly in a state as strategic and dynamic as Ogun, should never be reduced to a marketplace of ambitions. Leadership is not a trophy to be won; it is a responsibility to be carried. The future of millions cannot be mortgaged to satisfy personal dreams, family expectations, or the restless urgings of political opportunism. Yet, as we observe the early stirrings of the race, it is clear that different motivations are already at play. Some are driven purely by ambition, the understandable but often dangerous desire to occupy power. For others, the push is fueled by family expectations, a continuation of lineage or influence. There are also those who, despite obv...

There is a clear difference between tough journalism and outright hostility. One serves the public interest. The other serves the ego of the interviewer. Unfortunately, the recent exchange between Mehdi Hasan and presidential spokesperson Daniel Bwala fell squarely into the latter category. What viewers witnessed was not a serious interview. It was an attempted public ambush. From the outset, the tone was aggressively confrontational. Questions were framed less as inquiries into governance and more as prosecutorial traps. Responses were repeatedly interrupted before they could develop. Clarifications were brushed aside. The atmosphere was unmistakable: this was not a conversation designed to inform viewers but a spectacle designed to embarrass the guest. Serious journalism does not operate this way. The craft of interviewing demands discipline. It requires the ability to ask difficult questions while still allowing the guest to articulate answers. It requires intellectual c...

Public communication at the highest levels of government is not a casual undertaking. The role of a spokesperson is one of the most demanding assignments in political leadership because it sits at the intersection of policy, perception, and national reputation. Every word, tone, gesture, and response becomes part of the narrative through which both domestic and international audiences judge a government. Recent interview performances by presidential representatives have reignited an important conversation about the professional standards required for spokespersons in the modern media environment. Confronting seasoned international interviewers such as Mehdi Hassan is not merely a media appearance; it is a high-stakes exercise in narrative management. Effective spokespersons are rarely accidental performers. Communication scholars often reference the “10,000-hour rule,” popularized by Malcolm Gladwell, to illustrate the level of sustained practice required to achieve mastery...

Action Alliance political party has signalled its readiness to adopt a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, Segun Showunmi, as its governorship candidate for the 2027 election in Ogun State. Leaders and members of the party made their position known during a solidarity visit to Showunmi in Abeokuta on Friday, where they expressed interest in working with him ahead of the next electoral cycle.  The delegation said the move was part of efforts to strengthen the opposition and build a formidable platform capable of challenging the ruling party in the state. Addressing the gathering, Showunmi disclosed that several political parties had approached him to contest the governorship election under their platforms, noting that the Action Alliance was among those indicating strong interest in adopting him as its candidate. He noted that the spate of litigations involving opposition parties presents a troubling picture for Nigeria’s democracy. Sowunmi said “This is about a p...