Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria on Media and Policy, has stated that all his past criticisms of the president and his administration are no longer relevant.
Speaking during an interview on Arise TV’s Morning Show on Tuesday, February 11, 2025, Bwala explained that his previous opposition to Tinubu was purely political. According to him, his role in the opposition at the time required him to challenge the government in power.
“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.”
Bwala was a vocal critic of Tinubu before and after the 2023 presidential election. Initially a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), he left the party when it fielded a Muslim-Muslim ticket with Tinubu and Kashim Shettima. He later joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and served as a spokesperson for Atiku Abubakar’s campaign.
During the election period, Bwala accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of manipulating the polls and referred to Tinubu’s administration as a “president-select” rather than a legitimately elected government. He also compared Tinubu’s leadership to a “night of a thousand laughs.”
However, following his appointment as a presidential aide, Bwala has drastically changed his stance, now speaking in support of Tinubu’s administration. When asked whether he still stood by his previous remarks, he responded simply, “They are not relevant.”
Despite his past rhetoric, Bwala maintains that he is now fully aligned with the president and committed to his administration’s success.
