…Says Criticisms Lack Evidence
Warns Against Divisive Narratives
A PDP chieftain, Segun Showunmi, has faulted criticisms of businessman Gilbert Chagoury, describing them as misleading and divisive
Insists debates on multi-billion-dollar projects must be grounded in facts, not sentiment
A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, Otunba Segun Showunmi, has taken a swipe at commentator Kio Amachree over what he described as a “misguided and factually weak” attack on businessman Gilbert Chagoury, urging a more evidence-based approach to public discourse on national development
In a statement on Thursday, Showunmi said Amachree’s claims were riddled with contradictions, exaggerations and divisive undertones, warning that such narratives could derail constructive engagement on Nigeria’s infrastructure challenges.
The PDP stalwart particularly condemned the suggestion that Chagoury was “less Nigerian,” describing it as “dangerous and intellectually lazy.”
He argued that Chagoury’s long-standing presence in Nigeria, spanning over five decades, alongside his investments and contributions to the economy, underscored his legitimacy as a stakeholder in the country’s development.
“Gilbert Chagoury is Nigerian by law, by investment, and by decades of continuous engagement. He has lived, built, employed and taken risks in Nigeria far longer than many of his critics,” Showunmi said.
He further criticised what he termed the oversimplification of complex infrastructure projects, including coastal highways and shoreline protection initiatives, warning against reducing them to what he described as “social media soundbites.”
According to him, large-scale projects involve intricate financing structures, engineering expertise, and significant execution risks that require informed analysis.
“If there are concerns, they must be backed with verifiable evidence. Where is the breach of procurement law? Which statutory provisions were violated? Assertions alone are not enough,” he added.
Showunmi also faulted the focus on past controversies surrounding Chagoury, insisting that any allegations must be situated within the framework of Nigerian law.
He said, “If the law disqualifies anyone from public contracts, let it be clearly stated. Otherwise, what we are seeing is selective outrage and character assassination.”
The PDP chieftain equally took aim at diaspora commentators, noting that distance from the country does not necessarily translate to a deeper understanding of its socio-economic realities.
He warned against what he described as “xenophobic insinuations disguised as reformist arguments,” stressing that Nigeria’s challenges were fundamentally institutional rather than ethnic or nationality-based.
“Nigeria’s real problems are weak procurement enforcement, opacity in contract processes and poor accountability mechanisms. Targeting individuals does not address systemic failures,” he said.
Citing projects such as the Eko Atlantic City development and coastal protection efforts in Victoria Island, Showunmi maintained that Chagoury’s contributions to Nigeria’s infrastructure were “visible and measurable.”
He added that while public scrutiny of government contracts remained necessary, such engagement must be rooted in facts and not speculation.
Showunmi also called for greater responsibility in public commentary, warning that misinformation and defamatory claims could have legal consequences.
“Public discourse must be anchored on truth. Sensationalism without evidence undermines serious national conversations,” he said.
The rebuttal follows a recent critique by Amachree questioning the legitimacy of certain large-scale infrastructure deals and the role of private sector actors in their execution.
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