The recent edition of Politics Today on Channels Television, anchored by Mr. Seun Okinbaloye, once again brought to the fore an issue that should concern every Nigerian who values responsible journalism.

During the interview with former Borno State Governor, Ali Modu Sheriff, familiar allegations were made against Mr. Peter Obi—claims that have been publicly disputed and repeatedly addressed over the years. Yet, rather than subject those assertions to rigorous scrutiny or provide the necessary context for viewers, the interviewer allowed them to pass without challenge.

That, in my view, represents a failure of one of the cardinal responsibilities of journalism.

An interview should not be reduced to a platform where political guests make contentious claims without being asked to substantiate them. The duty of a journalist is not merely to ask questions, smile through the conversation and move on. It is to interrogate facts, challenge misinformation and ensure that the public receives balanced and truthful information.

When an interviewer fails to question disputed claims, viewers are left with the impression that those claims are factual. Such an approach does not strengthen public discourse; it weakens it.

Even more troubling is the growing tendency in some sections of the media to repeatedly frame national political conversations around one individual while many of Nigeria’s pressing challenges—insecurity, economic hardship, unemployment, inflation and declining living standards—receive comparatively less rigorous attention. Whether deliberate or not, this approach risks diverting public attention from the issues that directly affect millions of Nigerians.

The Fourth Estate of the Realm occupies a unique position in every democracy. Its loyalty must be to the truth and to the Nigerian people—not to political parties, governments or opposition figures. Journalists have a professional and moral obligation to verify claims, expose falsehoods and educate the public fairly, regardless of tribe, religion, ethnicity or political affiliation.

Media credibility is built on courage, objectivity and accountability. Once journalists begin to abandon those principles by allowing unverified or disputed claims to go unchallenged, they risk turning respected news platforms into channels through which misinformation gains legitimacy.

Nigerians deserve better. They deserve journalism that asks difficult questions, insists on evidence and holds every public figure accountable, irrespective of political leaning. That is the essence of responsible journalism and the standard every credible newsroom should strive to uphold.

Comr. Amos Oge Kalu
Media Practitioner and ICT Expert
Abuja, Nigeria