Presidential Aide Bwala dismisses past criticisms of Tinubu as "Not Relevant"

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Policy, Daniel Bwala, has dismissed all his previous criticisms of President Bola Tinubu and his administration, stating that they are no longer relevant.  

Speaking during a live broadcast on Arise TV’s Morning Show on Tuesday 11th February, Bwala justified his past opposition, explaining that his previous stance was influenced by his role in the opposition. He acknowledged that the duty of an opposition figure is to challenge and hold the government accountable but stated that his views changed after meeting President Tinubu, which led to his appointment.  

Bwala’s political realignment began ahead of the 2023 presidential election. A former member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), he left the party after it fielded two Muslim candidates—Bola Tinubu and Kashim Shettima—for the presidency and vice presidency. He subsequently joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and became a spokesperson for Atiku Abubakar’s presidential campaign.  

During the election period, Bwala was one of Tinubu’s most vocal critics. He described a potential Tinubu presidency as a “night of a thousand laughs” and later accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of manipulating the election results, referring to Tinubu’s administration as a “president-select” government.  

However, when questioned about whether he still stood by his previous statements, Bwala dismissed them outright. “I criticised Tinubu’s election and administration in the past because I was in the opposition,” he said. “The opposition’s work is to criticise the sitting government and hold them accountable. My views changed after I met the President, and he saw a need to appoint me.”  

When further pressed on whether he still believed in the claims he made against Tinubu, Bwala responded, “They are not relevant.” Despite his past rhetoric, he affirmed his full support for the administration, stating that since joining the government, he has been committed to promoting Tinubu’s policies and leadership.