The President Tinubu health debate should not become a source of hate and rumour, Convener of The Alternative, Segun Sowunmi, has said.
Mr Sowunmi urged Nigerians to stop spreading unverified claims about President Bola Tinubu’s health and instead focus on developments and investments in the country.
He made the comments on Thursday during a town hall meeting in Ijebu North East Local Government Area of Ogun State.
The discussion comes amid continued public interest in the President Tinubu health situation and questions raised by some Nigerians about the president’s wellbeing.
Mr Sowunmi said Nigerians should avoid what he described as self-hate and a tendency to focus only on negative stories about the country.
“You cannot indulge in continuous self-hate to the extent that all you’re looking for is bad news,” he said.
He added: “The president is in good health. The president is in sound mind.”
Mr Sowunmi also criticised people who, according to him, celebrate bad news about Nigeria while ignoring developments that could benefit the country.
He said Nigerians should recognise progress and investments coming into the country instead of constantly looking for negative information.
However, claims about the President Tinubu health situation remain a sensitive public issue. Statements about the health of public officials can attract significant attention, particularly when they circulate widely on social media.
For this reason, information about a president’s health should be based on verified statements and credible evidence rather than speculation or unconfirmed reports.
Mr Sowunmi’s comments also touch on the wider issue of misinformation in Nigeria. Social media platforms allow information to spread rapidly, but they can also make it difficult for audiences to distinguish verified reports from rumours.
Therefore, members of the public are often encouraged to check the source of a claim before sharing it.
The debate over the President Tinubu health situation also highlights the wider responsibility of political actors, journalists and citizens when discussing public officials.
While criticism of government policies remains part of democratic debate, unverified personal claims can quickly shift public discussion away from issues of governance and accountability.
Mr Sowunmi therefore called for a different approach. He urged Nigerians to examine developments in the country and discuss them based on facts.
His comments came as discussions about President Tinubu and his administration continue across Nigeria.
For now, the central message from the town hall meeting was that Nigerians should avoid spreading unverified health claims and should not allow political disagreements to encourage the circulation of rumours.
