Segun Showunmi Slams Broadcast Media Over Declining Ethics, Calls Out Arise TV Anchor Rufai Oseni

Former spokesperson for Atiku Abubakar’s 2019 presidential campaign, Segun Showunmi, has called for the restoration of professionalism and ethical standards in Nigeria’s broadcast media, accusing some television anchors of abandoning journalistic integrity.

In a strongly worded post on X (formerly Twitter) titled “Enough is Enough: When Broadcasters Become the Story”, Showunmi criticised what he described as a disturbing trend of provocation and bias among television hosts, saying the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and the Ministry of Information must act decisively.

“When television anchors abandon professionalism for provocation, it becomes the duty of the station’s management to call them to order. But when such failures persist, the NBC must intervene,” he wrote.

Showunmi warned that freedom of expression should not be misused to justify unprofessional conduct. “Freedom of expression is not freedom to abuse. Regulation is not repression; it is the defence of sanity and national interest. The time has come to draw the line,” he declared.

The politician stressed that while certain excesses might be tolerated from online commentators, they were unacceptable from licensed broadcasters. “What can be excused from a citizen’s podcast cannot and must not be tolerated from a national broadcaster,” he stated.

Specifically, he criticised Arise Television and its anchor, Rufai Oseni, accusing them of overstepping journalistic boundaries. “#ARISEtv and its anchor, #ruffydfire, have crossed too many lines. They cannot continue to act as prosecutors, judges, and enemies of the state under the guise of journalism,” Showunmi said, arguing that responsible journalism demands balance and respect for order.

His comments sparked backlash from human rights activist Mahdi Shehu, who accused Showunmi of hypocrisy and defending censorship. “When they appoint you DG of NBC, you can shut down Arise if you like. You can even ask Tinubu to silence Arise, Premium Times, or Sahara Reporters so that falsehood will triumph for a while,” Shehu retorted.

The debate follows a heated live interview between the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, and Arise TV’s Rufai Oseni earlier on Tuesday, where questions over the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway project’s cost and funding led to a tense exchange between the minister and the journalist.