Bwala’s Show Of Shame? Netizens React As Tinubu’s Aide Garbles In Al Jazeera Interview
- Denies Past Comments Against President
Daniel Bwala, special adviser to President Bola Tinubu on policy communication, has come under criticism following his appearance on Al Jazeera’s “Head to Head” programme anchored by Mehdi Hasan.
Bwala, who was on the show to speak about some of the things the government was doing to ease the affairs of its citizens, according to residents, ended up doing more damage to the little goodwill remaining in the country.
The Special Adviser, who left the All Progressives Congress after Tinubu selected Kashim Shettima as his running mate in 2023 and spoke against a Muslim-Muslim ticket, joined the current administration in 2024.
Before his appointment, Bwala served as the spokesperson to the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and was a staunch critic of President Tinubu.
However, Bwala during the interview with Hasan repeatedly denied previously making critical comments about the president.
Apart from denying his past comments about Tinubu and his administration, Bwala also failed to provide justifiable answers to most of the questions put to him by the host.
When Hasan confronted Bwala with old quotes, clips, and statements from his time as an opposition figure and referenced his January 22, 2023, claim that Tinubu created a militia to influence the election corruptly, he denied making the remark.
“You said Tinubu started a militia to sway the election corruptly,” Hasan put to Bwala.
“Tinubu didn’t create a militia, and I never said that,” he responded.
Hasan also brought up Bwala’s past remark about suspicious cash movements into Tinubu’s residence during an election, to which he again responded, “I never said that.”
On the claim that Tinubu or members of his camp had threatened him in the past,
Bwala denied ever making such claims, saying, “I never said that” when pressed.
However, when Hasan asked what changed, the president’s aide noted that he was in opposition at the time, where “the job of opposition is to oppose”.
He added that those past statements were part of political rhetoric and no longer relevant in his current role defending the president.
When confronted with evidence that insecurity had worsened under the current administration, Bwala failed to deny the claim but said “context matters.”
According to him, the present administration is doing everything possible to rid the country of insecurity despite the surge in banditry and kidnapping cases.
Hasan asked: You are failing. Amnesty International says you are failing at security. The numbers don’t lie.
Bwala answered: It’s unfortunate and as a government working day and night to address that situation. I don’t agree to the fact that it’s getting worse.
Hasan: How can it not get worse if more people die in one year than the previous year?
Bwala: Context matters.
Hasan: What’s the context?
Bwala: The context is not getting worse.
Hasan: What!
Bwala: Yes.
Hasan: The context is not getting worse?
At a particular point, Hasan said, “At the weekend, you put out a video to music of you and your team researching and prepping for this show and…now every time I ask you say you are not aware of that….what were you researching in that video…?”
Reacting to the interview, an X user, UzohBlaise, said, Never trust a man who can easily deny his own words. Watching Daniel Bwala on that interview felt like watching someone justify the unjustifiable , dismissing facts with ‘context matters’ while trying to normalise failure. Deep down, you know the truth. Sad display.”
“Most Nigerian government officials are always on the defensive side and they like asking questions with a quest. Personally That was not a good interview at all. Most people are just laughing and confused with Daniel’s answers,” Akhere Inegbeniki wrote.
Another user, Teslim, said, “Oh my goodness! If this man has any integrity, he should never represent/speak for Tinubu’s government or the APC ever in his life. But then, it is 2026, the year of no shame.”
Olamilekan Adigun is a graduate of Mass Communication with years of experience in journalism embedded in uncovering human interest stories. He also prioritises accuracy and factual reportage of issues.
