By Zakari Haruna Isah, Kaduna
The visit of Mr. Otunba Segun Showunmi, a member of President Bola Tinubu's Presidential Campaign Council, to the Kaduna NUJ secretariat on Sunday represents more than a routine thank-you gesture, it offers an early window into the APC's emerging media and messaging strategy for the 2027 election cycle, with the party placing journalists at the centre of its efforts to combat misinformation while simultaneously defending the administration's record.
The Media Offensive
At the heart of Showunmi's address was a direct appeal to journalists to combat misinformation, disinformation and fake news — a theme he framed as essential to protecting both the credibility of the profession and the stability of the nation amid ethnic, regional and religious divisions.
"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 said.
But beyond the appeal lay a carefully constructed narrative: one that casts the APC as a party committed to issue-based campaigning while positioning the media as gatekeepers against falsehoods — including those generated through artificial intelligence.
"Help us to insist that people stay on messaging, whether they are opposition or even the ruling party," Showunmi said. "If I'm telling lies, stop me. If they are telling lies, stop them."
Kaduna as a Symbol of Cohesion
The choice of Kaduna for the flag-off — and Showunmi's repeated invocation of the state's diversity carried strategic weight. Describing Kaduna as "the Lagos of the North," he presented the state as proof that Nigeria's ethnic and religious fault lines could be bridged through political accommodation rather than confrontation.
"Is this not this Kaduna where Christians will be doing Christmas carols, Muslims will sit down and we'll have them eat bones?" he asked, recalling his childhood in the state.
The message was clear: the APC's 2027 campaign intends to project itself as a unifying force in a region where ethnic and religious rhetoric has historically been potent. Showunmi's warning against creating an atmosphere where political figures feel unwelcome in parts of the country underscored a broader concern — that divisive campaign rhetoric could suppress voter turnout in opposition-leaning areas or inflame tensions.
Succession Politics and the Northern Question
Perhaps the most politically charged portion of Showunmi's remarks concerned the concentration of political ambition in Northern Nigeria. Warning against what he described as a "perpetual, non-ending ambition" among established figures, he questioned whether the region was creating room for younger politicians.
"You cannot have a perpetual, non-ending ambition that has even disturbed a lot of brilliant young Northerners from even being able to come up," he said. "Must it be only you?"
He invoked the legacies of Muhammadu Buhari and the late Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto, challenging contemporary leaders to match their examples. While framed as a call for generational renewal, the remarks also reflect the APC's internal calculations about managing succession politics both regionally and nationally as the party seeks to consolidate support ahead of 2027.
However, his broader argument for regional power-sharing and predictable succession remains a political proposition, not a constitutional requirement.
Defending the Record
Showunmi used the press conference to mount a defence of the Tinubu administration's policy direction, citing infrastructure development, access to education, workers' wages, pension payments, security and an alleged reduction in dialysis costs from N50,000 to N20,000.
But he also shifted responsibility, arguing that state governors and local government chairmen must be held equally accountable for service delivery.
"You can't run a country to lead people out of poverty only from the office of the President," he said. "Every human being in Nigeria, we are all living in one local government or the other."
The claim about dialysis costs was not independently verified during the press conference and would require confirmation from relevant health authorities. Similarly, his assertions on security, wages and pension payments were not established with official data at the event.
A Dual Message for the Media
Showunmi's appearance carried a dual message: on one hand, a plea for journalists to uphold professional standards and resist manipulation; on the other, a reminder that the APC intends to keep its record in the public eye — on its own terms.
"I have come to thank you. I have come to beg you. I have come to listen to you," he said. "Not because I know more than you; I don't know more than you. I'm one of you."
As the 2027 campaign unfolds, the coming months will reveal whether the media's role — as described by Showunmi — evolves into a genuine partnership or remains a transactional exchange. What is clear is that the Kaduna press conference was designed not just to thank journalists but to set the terms of engagement for the political battles ahead.