Otunba Segun Showunmi, a prominent figure in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Convener of The Alternative, has launched a scathing critique against the National Opposition Movement (NOM). His condemnation targets the group's stance on President Bola Tinubu's proposed tax legislation, which they recently demanded be suspended.
Showunmi's Fiery Rebuttal to NOM's Stance
The controversy ignited after NOM leaders held a press conference in Abuja on 19 December 2025. There, they called for the immediate suspension of the new tax law, labeling it a severe attack on the livelihood of ordinary Nigerians. The opposition movement cited the nation's dire socioeconomic climate, marked by escalating poverty, insecurity, and falling living standards, as grounds for their demand.
However, in a strongly-worded statement, Showunmi dismantled this position. He characterized NOM as a collection of "over-recycled, excessively ambitious politicians" who are incapable of moving beyond fearmongering. He accused them of offering no substantive policy alternatives, instead relying on noise and outrage.
"What the National Opposition Movement has offered Nigerians is not a credible alternative economic vision but a familiar mixture of alarmism, selective outrage, and political nostalgia," Showunmi asserted.
The Case for Necessary Reform
Showunmi presented a counter-argument centered on the inevitability and necessity of difficult reforms. He stressed that while change is often painful, the cost of maintaining the status quo is invariably higher. He positioned Nigeria's current path as one aligned with global best practices for economic restructuring.
"No reform is painless, and the cost of not changing is always greater than the cost of reforming," he stated, framing the debate as a choice between short-term discomfort and long-term stability.
He elaborated that successful nations combat poverty and inequality by building transparent, dependable, and broad-based domestic revenue systems. Showunmi argued that the true assault on citizens is fiscal irresponsibility, not tax reform. He pointed to inflation driven by deficits, currency instability from weak revenues, and unsustainable borrowing as the real punishments for the poor.
"Tax reform is not an assault on Nigerians. Fiscal irresponsibility is," he declared.
A Call for Fact-Based Opposition
Showunmi clarified that his criticism was not aimed at opposition in principle, which he deemed legitimate, but at what he called propaganda. He challenged NOM and other critics to engage with facts and propose workable solutions rather than resorting to what he described as "theatrical despair and recycled slogans."
"Nigeria cannot be held hostage by those who offer no credible alternatives beyond suspension, delay, and a return to fiscal chaos," he warned. He concluded with a sobering reminder that postponing essential reforms only deepens economic pain and unfairly transfers the burden to future generations.
The exchange highlights the deepening political fissures in Nigeria regarding the Tinubu administration's economic policies, setting the stage for continued intense debate as the nation navigates its challenging fiscal landscape.
