June 12: While Tinubu and Others Fought for Democracy, You Were in Malaysia Buying and Selling – Bwala Taunts Obi

Presidential aide Daniel Bwala has taken aim at Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi following his comments on Nigeria’s Democracy Day, June 12. Obi had urged President Bola Tinubu to emulate former Presidents Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan by acknowledging flaws in the 2023 electoral process and putting the nation above personal ambition. He also claimed there is no real democracy under the current administration.

Bwala, who serves as Special Adviser on Policy Communication to President Tinubu, fired back on social media, questioning Obi’s credibility on matters of democratic struggle. He alleged that Obi was not involved in the pro-democracy movement around the June 12, 1993 election, but instead was “in Malaysia or somewhere in Asia doing buying and selling.” Bwala said his online search yielded no evidence linking Obi to the fight for democracy during that period.

The exchange sparked heated reactions on social media, with many Nigerians criticizing Bwala’s remarks. Some questioned Tinubu’s own record during the June 12 struggle, referencing his exile in London, while others defended Obi’s business activities at the time, pointing out that economic contribution and democratic participation take various forms. Critics also accused Bwala of hypocrisy, noting his shift from being a vocal critic of Tinubu to a key defender of his administration.