Presidential spokesman Daniel Bwala has stated that his past critical comments about President Bola Tinubu should no longer dominate public discourse, describing them as “baseless” in light of current realities while maintaining they were never false. Bwala made the remarks on Wednesday night, July 22, during an appearance on Channels Television’s *Politics Today*, where he engaged in a heated exchange with anchor Seun Okinbaloye over his previous statements about Tinubu before joining the administration.
Bwala Questions Relevance of Past Remarks
Bwala expressed surprise that the presenter continued to revisit his earlier comments instead of focusing on pressing national issues. “The first person that started asking me this question was you, and you have done that more than five times. Are you not tired? They are completely inconsequential to what is happening,” he said. He argued that the conversation should have centered on governance topics such as the economy, education, security, and a letter purportedly sent by United States President Donald Trump commending Tinubu’s security efforts.
“We have taken almost 10 minutes on this. Nigerian people want to hear tonight what is happening to their lives. They want to know what is happening with their economy, with their education, and most importantly, with security,” Bwala added.
Administration’s Progress Highlighted
According to Bwala, the Tinubu administration has made notable progress, particularly in improving coordination among the country’s security agencies. He noted that it is the first time in Nigeria’s history that leadership has brought about such strong collaboration across the security sector. When Okinbaloye asked whether describing his former comments as “baseless” meant they were lies, Bwala drew a clear distinction. “They are not lies. They are baseless. Not important for conversation,” he said.
Accusations of Bias in Media
Bwala also accused the presenter of giving prominence to opposition talking points while overlooking similar issues involving opposition politicians. He pointed to Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2023, changing parties four times as an example. Bwala maintained that debates over his previous criticisms of Tinubu have become irrelevant, urging greater attention to the administration’s policies and the issues directly affecting citizens.
