Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Policy, has explained that his previous criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration was influenced by his former role as a spokesperson for the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
During an interview on Arise TV’s The Morning Show on Tuesday, Bwala acknowledged that his past remarks were politically motivated, aligning with the responsibilities of his position within the PDP.
He stated that political rivalry often involves presenting opposing views but clarified that his stance has since shifted with his new role in the presidency.
Bwala emphasized that his current focus is on fostering national development and contributing positively to governance under President Tinubu’s administration.
“I criticised Tinubu’e election and administration in the past because I was in the opposition.
“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,” he said.
Recall that before his appointment, Bwala accused Tinubu of rigging the election.
He said that the President would face challenges with moral legitimacy upon assuming office.
“Right now, although the presumption of law is in favour of Tinubu until the final determination of the election tribunal and appeals, he will struggle with moral legitimacy (because he rigged the election) for 240 days of his presidency,” Bwala posted on X.
“Eminent scholars, human rights activists, and strong opinion molders who have traditionally been critical are suddenly, for cultural and tribal reasons, throwing their weight behind him in a clandestine way,” he added.
In May 2023, during an interview with Arise Television, Bwala doubled down on his claims, challenging the legitimacy of Tinubu’s victory.
He described Tinubu as a “president-select” rather than a “president-elect,” accusing the Independent National Electoral Commission of manipulating the presidential election results.
“We are in court to say it was a rigged process. As long as there is no final determination of the matter, we have every right under law, equity, and justice to express our opinion that he is a president-select and not a president-elect,” Bwala declared.
Bwala’s skepticism extended back to March 2023, when he insisted in another interview that the PDP won the election.
“We won. If these results were allowed to be read from the result sheet, we won with over one million votes. Nigerian people voted PDP as the winner of this election, but history and posterity will judge,” he maintained.
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