March 08, (THEWILL) — Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Media and Policy Communication, has declared that his primary responsibility is to defend the policies and programmes of the Tinubu administration anywhere in the world.
He criticised what he described as “opposition research-style journalism” during his recent interview with journalist Mehdi Hasan.
Bwala made the remarks in a statement issued on Saturday in response to widespread reactions on social media following the interview, which has generated mixed responses within the last 24 hours.
According to him, he was fully aware of the responsibilities attached to his appointment when he accepted the role from President Tinubu, stressing that promoting and defending the administration’s policies remains central to his mandate.
“When I signed on to the privileged job granted to me by Mr. President, I was well aware of its implications,” Bwala said, adding that he is always ready to appear before any interviewer anywhere in the world to articulate and defend the government’s positions.
The presidential aide explained that the interview was arranged after the Head to Head programme reached out to him months earlier, stating that the discussion would focus on key national issues such as security, the economy, and corruption.
However, Bwala said he was surprised when the host raised questions about his past political statements, noting that such a line of questioning had not been disclosed during nearly six months of communication preceding the interview.
“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 stated.
Bwala further alleged that some of the quotes attributed to organisations and groups during the interview were inaccurate, insisting that a number of them amounted to fake news.
He also addressed criticisms surrounding his previous remarks about President Tinubu when he was in the opposition, describing them as part of normal political contestation.
Bwala noted that political alignments often evolve, citing examples from global politics where individuals who once criticised leaders later worked with them in government.
The presidential aide dismissed the criticisms from opposition figures and their supporters, saying their reactions were driven by political interests and would not distract him from his responsibilities.
He also thanked Nigerians and others who sent messages commending his performance during the interview, which he described as a difficult engagement in which the interviewer frequently interrupted his responses.
Despite the controversy, Bwala expressed admiration for Hasan, describing him as one of the most formidable debaters in global media, and said he looks forward to participating in a second part of the Head to Head interview.
According to him, the next engagement would provide an opportunity to focus more on the policies, programmes, and achievements of the Tinubu administration.
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