A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, Segun Showunmi, has criticised journalist Mehdi Hasan over what he described as a hostile interview with presidential aide Daniel Bwala.
The interview which aired on Al Jazeera programme Head to Head featured Bwala who currently serves as Special Adviser on Media and Policy Communication to Bola Tinubu.
In a post shared on X on Sunday Showunmi argued that the tone of the interview crossed the line between tough journalism and personal hostility. According to him the questioning style appeared more focused on embarrassing the guest rather than informing the public.
Showunmi described the exce as a public ambush where Bwala was repeatedly interrupted while trying to respond to questions. He claimed that some of the questions were framed in a prosecutorial manner and that attempts by the presidential aide to clarify his position were brushed aside.
He stressed that responsible journalism requires discipline and balance. According to him interviews should aim to provide insight into public issues rather than humiliating guests for dramatic effect.
Showunmi also defended Bwala over his past criticisms of President Tinubu which resurfaced during the interview. Before defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress, Bwala had previously criticised Tinubu in strong terms.
The journalist confronted Bwala with some of those past remarks including statements where he allegedly described the president as corrupt and unfit to lead. When Bwala denied making some of the statements video clips were played during the programme which sparked debate online.
The interview also focused on Nigeria security challenges with references to reports by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. Critics noted that Bwala struggled to counter some of the figures cited.
Despite the backlash on social media Bwala dismissed the criticism and said it was politically motivated. Showunmi concluded that strong questioning is necessary in journalism but insisted that professionalism and respect should always guide the process.
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