By Myke Uzendu, Abuja
Former spokesperson to ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Segun Showunmi, has described presidential aspirant Mohammed Hayatu-Deen as the strongest opposition candidate currently seeking Nigeria’s presidency on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Showunmi, a politician, media commentator and convener of The Alternative Platform, made the remarks during an interview on an Arise News programme on Thursday, where he assessed leading opposition figures ahead of the 2027 general election.
Speaking on Hayatu-Deen’s credentials, Showunmi said the former Chairman of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group possesses the economic competence, technocratic expertise and private sector experience needed to address Nigeria’s economic challenges and reposition the country for sustainable growth.
“That is the guy that has the best CV,” Showunmi said. “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 argued that Nigerians should shift attention toward competence, ideas and policy depth rather than allowing political debates to revolve around personalities and theatrics.
According to him, the country requires leaders with the capacity to respond to worsening economic conditions, unemployment and governance challenges.
Showunmi also reflected on the political trajectory of his former principal, Atiku Abubakar, acknowledging the former vice president’s contributions to Nigeria’s democratic journey since 1999 but suggesting the nation may require a different style of leadership.
While recognising Atiku’s experience and institutional knowledge, he questioned whether the former vice president still represents the kind of leadership energy needed to address Nigeria’s current realities.
On former Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi, Showunmi said the presidential hopeful appeared to be driven more by ambition and entitlement.
“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,” he said.
“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.”
Commenting on Peter Obi, Showunmi acknowledged the former Labour Party presidential candidate’s popularity and political momentum but stressed that broader national coalition-building would remain crucial for 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.
The comments come amid growing political activity and realignments among opposition figures ahead of the 2027 presidential contest.
