By Obinna Uballa
The Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Media and Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, has pushed back against criticism following his appearance on Head to Head, insisting he has no regrets defending the administration during the televised exchange.
The New Diplomat had reported that Bwala’s interview on the programme, aired Thursday on Al Jazeera, quickly sparked widespread reactions online, particularly on X, where clips from the discussion circulated widely and drew sharp criticism from some commentators.
During the interview, host Mehdi Hasan confronted Bwala with several of his past remarks in which he had criticised Tinubu, previously describing the Nigerian leader as corrupt and unfit for office before Bwala defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress ahead of the 2023 elections.
When Bwala disputed making some of the statements, Hasan presented video clips of the earlier comments, prompting further reactions on social media.
The anchor also questioned him about Nigeria’s security situation, referencing reports by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, while critics online argued that the presidential aide struggled to counter the figures cited during the exchange.
However, in a statement issued on Saturday, Bwala dismissed the backlash as politically motivated and largely driven by opposition supporters.
“The majority of the naysayers are members of the opposition and their sympathisers. It does not bother me one bit,” he said, adding that the criticism would not distract him from his role in promoting the policies of the Tinubu administration.
Bwala also rejected suggestions that his performance on the programme was inadequate, stating that seeking public approval was not part of his responsibilities.
“Selling ice cream, looking fine and seeking the praises of men were never part of my job description,” he said. “Promoting and defending the President and his administration is what I do with ease and joy.”
According to him, producers of the programme had contacted him nearly six months before the interview to discuss issues relating to security, the economy and corruption but did not indicate that questions would focus heavily on his past political statements.
“Nowhere in our almost six months of communication did they mention that they were going to challenge my past,” he said, arguing that it would have been more professional to notify him beforehand.
Bwala further accused Hasan of employing what he described as “opposition research-style journalism,” alleging that some of the statements attributed to him during the programme were either inaccurate or “outright fake news,” which he said he would address at a later date.
On his earlier criticisms of Tinubu before joining the administration, Bwala said such exchanges were typical in partisan politics and should not be interpreted as unusual.
“It is all politics,” he said, noting that many political figures who previously criticised leaders later served in their administrations.
He pointed to the example of Donald Trump, saying several members of his cabinet had once publicly criticised him before joining his government.
Bwala also took a swipe at opposition parties, arguing that they lacked a clear political programme capable of convincing voters.
“They have no path to victory and no alternative policies or programme for the Nigerian people,” he said, challenging opposition figures to subject themselves to similar interviews on Head to Head.
Despite his criticism of the interview’s handling, Bwala described Hasan as “arguably the best debater on the planet” and said he maintained personal respect for the journalist.
He added that he would welcome another opportunity to appear on the programme, expressing hope that future discussions would focus more on the Tinubu administration’s policies and achievements rather than his past political remarks.
