Oladotun Hassan, a former member of the disbanded All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, recently voiced his concerns about ethnic bigotry promoted by the Igbo community in the days leading up to the 2023 general elections. He specifically pointed out Arise Television and one of its anchors, Rufai Oseni, for their role in exacerbating the situation through negative reporting.
According to Oladotun, Oseni deliberately posed questions that aligned with the views of the Labour Party (LP), creating the impression that he was a party member. Speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show program on Monday, Oladotun made these accusations in response to the European Union’s Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) report on the 2023 general elections, which highlighted deficiencies in electoral laws and administration, eroding trust in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Nevertheless, Oladotun held the view that some of the tensions during the election campaign should be attributed to the Igbos and Arise Television. He criticized Oseni for his biased questioning and stated, “The way I see it, Datti Baba-Ahmed made seditious statements that are criminally motivated. These statements touch on electoral processes and citizens‘ values. In a competitive environment, everyone utilizes the resources available to them.”
Recognizing that we are all citizens, Oladotun acknowledged that certain actions should be condemned. He mentioned that he had previously condemned statements and reassured the Igbo community of their safety in Lagos. He pointed out that the Igbos had engaged in provocative behavior by insulting the Yoruba people and making derogatory remarks, even within the entertainment industry, such as Nollywood actors from the Igbo side, who made disparaging comments in the media.
Moreover, Oladotun asserted that Arise Television also played a negative role by reporting certain incidents in a biased manner. He accused the network of consistently attacking the APC in its coverage.
