“It’s All Politics”: Bwala Defends Past Criticism of Tinubu After Al Jazeera Interview

Daniel Bwala, special adviser to President Bola Tinubu on policy communication, has defended his past criticism of the president following a widely discussed appearance on Head to Head on Al Jazeera.

Bwala was interviewed by journalist Mehdi Hasan on the programme, which examined the Tinubu administration under the theme “Nigeria: ‘Renewed Hope’ or ‘Hopelessness’?” The discussion focused on government policies as well as comments Bwala made before joining the administration.

During the interview, Hasan presented past remarks and video clips from Bwala’s time in the opposition when he supported former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar during the 2023 presidential campaign. Some of the statements criticised Tinubu and his political record.

Hasan also cited a January 22, 2023 comment in which Bwala was alleged to have claimed that Tinubu created a militia to influence the election. Bwala rejected the claim and denied making the statement.

The interviewer also questioned the administration’s anti-corruption credentials, referencing the appointment of Abubakar Bagudu as minister of budget and economic planning.

Clips from the interview circulated widely on social media, prompting reactions from both supporters and critics of the government.

Responding in a statement shared on X, Bwala said the renewed attention to his earlier comments should be understood within the context of partisan politics.

“It is all politics,” he said, explaining that the statements were made while he was part of the political opposition.

Bwala said he accepted his role in the administration knowing that it would involve defending government policies in challenging media environments. According to him, he is prepared to appear before interviewers anywhere in the world to speak on behalf of the government.

He added that avoiding critical interviews is not an option and said he had always been willing to address difficult questions.

Bwala also stated that the programme’s producers had initially indicated the discussion would focus on issues such as security, the economy and corruption, and said he was not informed that his past statements would become a central topic of the interview.

He criticised aspects of the questioning, alleging that some of the quotes attributed to organisations during the exchange were inaccurate.

The presidential aide dismissed criticism from political opponents, describing their reactions to the interview as partisan. He said they were free to appear on the programme to present their own arguments.

Despite the tense exchange, Bwala said he respects Hasan and described him as a skilled debater. He also expressed interest in returning for another interview and said he hopes future discussions will focus more on the administration’s policies and achievements.