The Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Media and Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, has defended his appearance on Head to Head, dismissing criticism that followed the televised interview.
Bwala said he had no regrets defending the administration of President Tinubu during the programme hosted by Mehdi Hasan on Al Jazeera.
The interview, which aired on Thursday, quickly sparked strong reactions on social media, particularly on X, where clips from the programme circulated widely and critics described Bwala’s performance as embarrassing.
Confronted With Past Statements
During the interview, Hasan repeatedly challenged Bwala with past remarks in which he had criticised Tinubu before joining the ruling All Progressives Congress.
Before defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party in 2023, Bwala had reportedly described Tinubu as corrupt, unfit to lead, and even labelled him a drug baron.
When Bwala denied making some of the comments during the programme, Hasan presented video clips of the earlier statements, a moment that drew widespread reactions online.
The anchor also questioned him about Nigeria’s security challenges, referencing reports from Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, with critics claiming Bwala struggled to counter the statistics presented.
Bwala Responds
Reacting to the backlash in a statement issued on Saturday, Bwala described the criticism as predictable, attributing it to opposition supporters.
According to him, the reactions would not distract him from his role as a spokesman for the Tinubu administration.
“The majority of the naysayers are members of the opposition and their sympathisers. It does not bother me one bit,” he said.
He also dismissed suggestions that his performance was weak, insisting that his responsibility was to defend the government rather than seek public praise.
“Selling ice cream, looking fine, and seeking the praises of men were never part of my job description,” he said.
Accusation of “Fake News”
Bwala revealed that the programme’s producers had contacted him nearly six months earlier for the interview, saying the discussions were expected to focus on the government’s policies on security, the economy, and corruption.
He, however, criticised the programme for confronting him with his past political statements without prior notice.
Bwala accused Hasan of using what he described as “opposition research-style journalism” and claimed that some of the quotations used during the interview were inaccurate.
He alleged that certain claims made during the programme amounted to “outright fake news,” adding that he would address them in detail later.
‘It’s All Politics’
Addressing his previous criticism of Tinubu, Bwala said such statements were typical in partisan politics and should not be seen as unusual.
He pointed out that several members of Donald Trump’s cabinet in the United States had once criticised him before eventually working with him.
According to Bwala, similar situations have occurred within Nigeria’s political landscape, including within the current administration.
Open to Another Debate
Despite his concerns about the interview’s conduct, Bwala said he would welcome another appearance on the programme.
He maintained that he is willing to engage with any interviewer to defend the government’s record.
“I have never and will never subscribe to ducking or dodging interviews on matters that concern promoting and defending the administration I was appointed to serve,” he said.
Bwala also described Hasan as “arguably the best debater on the planet,” noting that he still respected the journalist despite the controversy surrounding the interview.
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