Daniel Bwala, special adviser to President Bola Tinubu on policy communication, has responded to the wave of reactions that followed his recent appearance on “Head to Head” on Al Jazeera, saying he remains ready to defend the administration “anywhere in the world.”
Bwala spoke on the programme hosted by Mehdi Hasan, where he fielded questions on the Nigerian government’s policies and past remarks he had made about the president.
In the episode, which examined Tinubu’s administration under the theme “Nigeria: ‘Renewed Hope’ or ‘Hopelessness’?”, Hasan confronted Bwala with past quotes, video clips, and statements from his time in the opposition, when he was aligned with the presidential campaign of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar.
During the exchange, the host referenced a January 22, 2023, remark in which Bwala was alleged to have claimed that Tinubu created a militia to corruptly influence the election, an assertion the presidential aide denied making.
The interviewer also cited several other past comments attributed to Bwala that were critical of the president, prompting denials from the Tinubu aide.
Hasan also questioned Tinubu’s anti-corruption credentials by highlighting the appointment of Abubakar Bagudu, minister of budget and economic planning.
The interview triggered strong reactions online as clips from the exchange circulated widely on social media on Saturday.
Reacting to the debate in a statement shared via X, Bwala said the surge of social media discussion had prompted him to clarify his position.
“In the last 24 hours, social media has exploded over my interview with Mehdi Hassan, albeit with varied opinions. Let me set the record straight,” he said.
Bwala said he accepted his role in the administration, fully aware that it involved defending government policies in difficult forums and before critical audiences.
“When I signed on to the privileged job granted to me by Mr. President, I was well aware of its implications… I am prepared to appear before any interviewer, anywhere in the world, any day and at any time, to defend this government and its policies,” he said.
He added that avoiding tough interviews was never an option for him.
“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,” Bwala said.
According to him, the producers of the programme had initially indicated that the discussion would focus on issues such as security, the economy, and corruption.
However, he said he was not informed that his past statements would become a central subject during the interview.
Bwala also criticised what he described as the style of questioning during the programme, alleging that some of the quotes attributed to organisations and groups during the exchange were inaccurate.
“I refused to swallow the pill of Mehdi’s ‘opposition research-style journalism,’” he said, adding that some of the claims cited during the interview amounted to “outright fake news.”
Addressing questions about past criticism of Tinubu, Bwala said his earlier remarks were made when he was in the political opposition and should be viewed in that context.
“It is all politics,” he said, noting that several figures in other governments — including members of Donald Trump’s cabinet — had previously criticised the leaders they later served.
‘OPPOSITION’S REACTION TO MY INTERVIEW DRIVEN BY PARTISAN INTERESTS’
The presidential aide also dismissed criticism from political opponents, arguing that their reaction to the interview was driven by partisan interests rather than substance.
He said those critics remained free to appear on the same programme to defend their own policies and ideas.
Bwala nevertheless expressed appreciation to Nigerians and others who commended his performance during the interview.
He also said he still had respect for Hasan, describing him as “arguably the best debater on the planet,” and expressed interest in a follow-up appearance.
“I look forward to part two of the Head-to-Head interview,” he said, adding that he hoped future discussions would focus more on the administration’s policies and achievements.