By Peter Omopo
Former spokesman to ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Segun Sowunmi, has dismissed claims that he is set to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Monday, the Ogun-born politician clarified that despite his meeting with President Bola Tinubu earlier this year, he remains a committed member of the PDP.
“If I wanted to decamp to the APC, I would have done that, but not at this time. I’m still a member of the PDP,” Sowunmi said.
Speculations about Sowunmi’s political future intensified after his June 8 visit to Tinubu’s Lagos residence. Pictures of the handshake between both men had circulated widely, sparking assumptions of a looming defection.
Sowunmi, however, explained that his relationship with Tinubu dates back to 1994, insisting the encounter was misinterpreted.
“It was actually a little confusing because after that handshake with the president, a number of people thought I was switching sides. Nigerians are funny people. I’ve been standing at this party since 1998. One handshake cannot erase decades of loyalty,” he stated.
The PDP chieftain, who contested the party’s 2023 governorship primaries in Ogun State, argued that Nigeria’s democratic journey, now spanning over 27 years, requires leaders to shift focus from partisan rivalry to consensus-building.
“After nearly three decades of democracy, we must start asking: is this democracy even working? Why are the people unhappy? Beyond all the criticism, can we just start agreeing on some things?” he said.
According to Sowunmi, his discussion with the president focused on national challenges, including insecurity in the North, economic hardship, and the political crisis in Rivers State.
“I was concerned about Rivers, and he explained some things which made sense. I was concerned about insecurity in the North—people were just dying—and he had something to say about it. I told him I had seen where he’s going with the policies, but was worried about the knock-on effect on the people,” he noted.
While Sowunmi had previously hinted at the possibility of leaving the PDP during a June 10 interview on Arise Television, he insisted on Monday that no such decision has been taken.
His meeting with Tinubu had fueled speculations amid a wave of defections reshaping Nigeria’s opposition landscape after the APC’s post-2023 election consolidation of power.
