Daniel Bwala, special adviser to President Bola Tinubu on policy communication, has responded to reactions trailing his appearance on Al Jazeera’s programme Head to Head, insisting that he remains ready to defend the current administration anywhere in the world.
Bwala was interviewed by journalist Mehdi Hasan during an episode that examined Tinubu’s government under the theme “Nigeria: Renewed Hope or Hopelessness?”
During the discussion, Hasan confronted the presidential aide with previous remarks and video clips from the 2023 election period when Bwala was aligned with the presidential campaign of former vice-president Atiku Abubakar.
One of the quotes referenced was a January 2023 comment in which Bwala was alleged to have claimed that Tinubu created a militia to influence the election — an allegation the presidential aide denied making.
Hasan also raised questions about Tinubu’s anti-corruption credentials, citing the appointment of Abubakar Bagudu as minister of budget and economic planning.
Clips from the interview quickly spread on social media, triggering widespread reactions.
Reacting in a statement posted on X, Bwala said the debate had generated intense online discussion, prompting him to clarify his position.
According to him, he accepted his role in government knowing it involved defending the administration in tough media environments.
“I was fully aware of the implications of this job. I am ready to face any interviewer, anywhere in the world, at any time, to defend this government and its policies,” he said.
Bwala also said avoiding tough interviews was not an option for him, stressing that public officials must be willing to engage critics openly.
He explained that producers of the programme had initially indicated the interview would focus on issues such as security, the economy and corruption, but he was not informed that his past statements would be a central topic.
The presidential aide further criticised what he described as an “opposition research-style” approach to the questioning, claiming some of the quotes attributed during the exchange were inaccurate and amounted to “fake news.”
Addressing his previous criticism of Tinubu, Bwala said those statements were made while he was in the opposition and should be viewed in that political context.
“It is all politics,” he said, adding that many politicians around the world have criticised leaders they later served.
He also dismissed criticism from political opponents over the interview, describing it as partisan.
Despite the heated exchange, Bwala said he still respects Hasan, whom he described as one of the best debaters in journalism, and expressed interest in appearing again on the programme.
“I look forward to part two of the Head-to-Head interview,” he said.