The Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Media and Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, has dismissed criticisms that followed his appearance on the Head to Head programme aired by Al Jazeera, insisting he has no regrets defending the administration during the interview.
The programme, anchored by Mehdi Hasan, aired on Thursday and quickly generated reactions on social media, particularly on X, where clips from the exchange circulated widely.
Many commentators described Bwala’s performance as embarrassing.
During the interview, Hasan repeatedly confronted Bwala with previous comments in which he had criticised President Tinubu, allegedly describing him as corrupt, a drug baron and unfit to lead the country.
The remarks were made before Bwala defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress ahead of the 2023 general elections.
When Bwala denied making some of the remarks, the host reportedly presented video clips to back up the claims, further fuelling criticism online.
Hasan also questioned the presidential aide on Nigeria’s worsening security challenges, referencing reports by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.
Critics later argued that Bwala struggled to counter the figures presented during the discussion.
However, in a statement issued on Saturday, Bwala downplayed the backlash, describing it as the handiwork of opposition supporters and their allies.
He said the criticism would not distract him from his responsibilities as a presidential spokesman.
According to him, most of those attacking him were political opponents whose reactions were expected and short-lived.
Bwala also rejected suggestions that his outing on the programme was poor, saying pleasing critics was never part of his assignment.
He stated that his responsibility was to promote and defend the President and the administration, a duty he said he performs confidently.
The presidential aide disclosed that the programme had contacted him about six months earlier seeking an interview to question the government on issues such as security, the economy and corruption.
He claimed that at no time during their discussions did the producers indicate that his past political statements would form a central part of the interview.
According to him, if that had been the intention, professional ethics required the programme to inform him beforehand so he could adequately prepare his responses.
Bwala further accused Hasan of using what he described as “opposition-style research,” alleging that some of the quotes attributed to him during the interview were inaccurate, while others were completely fabricated. He said he would address the issue in detail at a later time.
Reflecting on his earlier criticisms of Tinubu before joining the government, Bwala maintained that such developments were common in politics.
He said politicians frequently criticise opponents while in the opposition, noting that similar situations had occurred in other countries.
As an example, he cited the administration of Donald Trump, where several cabinet members had previously opposed the president before eventually serving in his government.
Bwala also criticised opposition parties in Nigeria, claiming they lacked a clear path to electoral victory and had failed to present alternative policy proposals for Nigerians.
He challenged opposition figures to appear on the same programme to defend their ideas if they believed they had credible alternatives.
The presidential aide said he remained willing to appear before any interviewer to discuss and defend the policies of the Tinubu administration.
He stressed that avoiding media scrutiny was not an option for him in the discharge of his duties.
Bwala also expressed interest in returning to the programme for another round of debate, noting that by then discussions would likely shift from his past political comments to the administration’s policies and achievements.
Despite his reservations about how the interview was conducted, Bwala described Hasan as one of the most formidable debaters in the world and said he still held him in high regard.
He also expressed appreciation to Nigerians and foreigners who commended what he described as his firm defence of the government during the interview.