The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Public Communications, Daniel Bwala, has defended his past criticism of the President, describing it as part of political contestation.
Bwala spoke on Saturday while reacting to the backlash that followed his recent interview on Al Jazeera’s Head to Head programme with journalist Mehdi Hasan.
The presidential aide said comments he made against Tinubu before joining the administration were political and should not be interpreted outside the context of opposition politics at the time.
He stated that his current role requires him to promote and defend the policies and programmes of the Tinubu administration, insisting that he would continue to grant interviews anywhere in the world to advance the government’s position.
“In the last 24 hours, social media has exploded over my interview with Mehdi Hasan, albeit with varied opinions. Let me set the record straight,” Bwala said in a statement.
According to him, defending the administration was part of the responsibility attached to the office he occupies.
“When I signed on to the privileged job granted to me by Mr. President, I was well aware of its implications. Selling ice cream, looking fine, and seeking the praises of men were never part of it,” he said.
Bwala said he had never avoided media scrutiny and would not begin to dodge interviews on issues relating to the government he serves.
“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 added.
The presidential spokesman also accused the programme’s anchor of failing to properly brief him on the nature of the questions ahead of the interview, particularly those relating to his past criticisms of Tinubu.
According to him, the interview invitation focused on discussing Nigeria’s security situation, the economy and corruption.
“Nowhere in our almost six months of communication did they mention that they were going to challenge my past. If that had been their plan, ethically and professionally, they were supposed to inform me so I could prepare my response,” he said.
Bwala further alleged that some of the materials cited during the interview were inaccurate, claiming that certain references presented by the anchor amounted to misinformation.
Despite the controversy generated by the interview, the presidential aide said he still respected Hasan, describing him as one of the best debaters globally.
He also hinted that a second part of the interview would be aired, expressing hope that the discussion would focus more on the policies and achievements of the Tinubu administration rather than his previous political statements.
Bwala noted that it was not unusual in politics for individuals who once criticised a leader to later serve in the same administration.
“As for what I said about President Tinubu in the past, I am glad those were things I said when I was in the opposition saddle with such zeal. It is all politics,” he said.
The former opposition figure added that criticism from political opponents over the interview did not bother him, maintaining that his focus remained on defending the administration’s policies and programmes.
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