Noise, mob cannot determine who leads Nigeria – Segalink

By Enitan Abdultawab Human rights activist and social commentator, Segun Awosanya, popularly known as Segalink, has said that noise, mob pressure and ethnic sentiments should not determine who becomes Nigeria’s president. Awosanya made the remark during an interview on Vanguard’s Politics Hub, where he spoke about the quality of political candidates and the growing influence of public sentiment in determining political choices ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He argued that several capable politicians had been relegated in the country’s political conversations, despite what he described as their leadership qualities and experience. Citing former Minister of Education, Adewole Adebayo, former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, former Governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke, and Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, among others, Awosanya said the country should pay greater attention to the qualities and capacity of its political candidates.

“There are other people that we have totally relegated, like I said, that are quality candidates. We have the Adewole of the SDP, we have the Sowores of this world, we have the Donald Duke of this world, we have the Makindes. These are quality people who certain candidates cannot even lace their shoes,” he said. He maintained that political conversations should focus on what candidates intend to do differently for the country rather than the popularity they enjoy or the crowd they command.

According to him, Nigerians should not allow what he described as ethnic agendas, mob sentiments and aggressive supporters to dictate the country’s leadership choices. “Let us not look at the noise, the mob, or the crowd, or the irate or virulent people who want to force their way into our hearts, or into our nation for their own ethnic agenda. They should not be the decider of who becomes the leader of this country.

That’s what we’re saying,” he added. The activist also criticised the use of insults and the denigration of political opponents as strategies for gaining political power, arguing that such behaviour was not a substitute for presenting credible alternatives to Nigerians. “I’ve never seen in any country where people insult their way to power, where people believe that by denigrating other people, by bending other people’s work to disrepute, will make them preferred,” he said.

Awosanya called for more honest conversations about the country’s political choices, insisting that Nigerians should be willing to confront uncomfortable realities rather than excuse conduct that undermines constructive political engagement.