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Convener of The Alternative, Otunba Segun Showunmi, has harped on the need for keeping political boundaries that promote cooperation over tribalism, warning that the country is drifting away from the “pan-Nigerian” values that once defined its democratic path.
Showunmi underlined that national progress must be the ultimate goal, even though different regions may select different political courses.
He stated this during an interview on Splash FM Abeokuta, monitored by our correspondent.
Showunmi asked when Nigeria would have a genuinely “identical” or unified administration, bemoaning the persistent use of “tribe and fear” to further political objectives throughout election cycles.
He added that such tactics erode the democratic values developed before the 1999 shift to civil government.
“We can create boundaries that still allow for cooperation,” Showunmi stated. “But I’m not going to accept that the madness is the madness that I’m going to tolerate just because it will make sense.”
Recalling the formation of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Showunmi highlighted its origin as a “pan-Nigerian party” designed to prevent the country from fracturing into tribalistic camps.
He noted that the initial push for democracy was built on a collective desire to move past the era of “bad candidates” and military rule.
When discussing the formation of new political movements, Showunmi raised concern about the “attitude” of certain modern political actors.
He stated that, while there is pressure to create new platforms, the confrontational character of some supporters, particularly those invoking the “Obedient” movement, has unwittingly inhibited larger coalition-building.
“A lot of people who have expressed happiness over the last few days, everybody has backed out now,” Showunmi observed, suggesting that the current political climate makes it difficult to form a truly inclusive, democratized party.
He continued by warning that unless a transformation in thinking occurs, efforts to “democratise Nigeria as a political country” will continue to fail, trapping the country in a cycle of tribalism and division.
Showunmi calls for return to Pan-Nigerian politics, warns against tribalism
