Daniel Bwala, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, has confirmed he is taking legal action against Al Jazeera in the United Kingdom. The lawsuit stems from what he describes as the selective editing of his interview on the broadcaster’s ‘Head to Head’ programme, hosted by Mehdi Hasan. Speaking on The Morayo Show, aired on MAP Studios on Thursday, Bwala said he instructed his lawyers in England to institute proceedings after Al Jazeera declined his request to issue a public apology, despite having apologised to him privately.
Interview editing and defamation claim
According to Bwala, only about 49 minutes of his 90-minute interview were eventually aired. He argued that this decision portrayed him unfairly and damaged his reputation. “They apologised to me privately. I said they should put it on social media. They said they will not. So I instructed my lawyers in England to go to court. The case is currently in court… my advisers in England said it’s a defamation of character,” he said. The interview, which aired in March, drew widespread attention after Hasan confronted Bwala with several statements he made while serving as a spokesperson for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s 2023 presidential campaign. Bwala has consistently maintained that the programme was edited in a way that misrepresented him.
Bwala blames governors for kidnappings
On the issue of insecurity, Bwala argued that governors should be held responsible for kidnappings because such crimes occur within local government areas under their supervision. “Every kidnapping and abduction that takes place in any state of Nigeria holds that governor responsible. Every local government, all the kidnappings have taken place in local government,” he said. His comments come as concerns over insecurity continue across the country. In May, PREMIUM TIMES reported that gunmen abducted about 32 people, including pupils and teachers, from schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State. One of the victims, mathematics teacher Michael Oyedokun, was later killed while in captivity.
Safe Schools Initiative and local government funds
Bwala said the federal government had released funds to states under the Safe Schools Initiative for security measures such as perimeter fencing and early warning systems. He urged Nigerians to ask governors how those funds were spent. He also claimed that some local governments in Oyo State receive up to ₦600 million monthly, adding that the money should be used to improve primary healthcare, education, local security, and welfare programmes. According to him, local governments should regularly hold public town hall meetings where residents can question the chairpersons on how public funds are spent.
Defending his return to the APC
Bwala also addressed criticism over his decision to return to the All Progressives Congress (APC). He said he left the party in 2022 because he believed its Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket could marginalise Christians, particularly in northern Nigeria. However, he said he later changed his position after concluding that those concerns had not materialised. Bwala cited what he described as the Tinubu administration’s appointment of many Christians into government positions as one of the reasons he decided to return. His political journey has attracted public attention in recent years. After leaving the APC, he became one of the spokespersons for Atiku Abubakar’s presidential campaign and frequently criticised President Tinubu, at one point calling for his arrest over corruption allegations. He rejoined the APC in 2026 after meeting President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa and was later appointed Special Adviser on Policy Communication.
