The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Policy, Daniel Bwala, has admitted that his past criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s election and administration was influenced by his role as a member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Speaking on Arise TV’s The Morning Show, Bwala stated that his opposition to Tinubu was purely political and not personal.
“I criticised Tinubu’s 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 explained.
Before his appointment, Bwala was a vocal critic of Tinubu’s electoral victory, accusing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of manipulation and claiming that Tinubu lacked moral legitimacy. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he wrote:
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“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.”
He also alleged that some prominent figures secretly supported Tinubu for cultural and tribal reasons.
In May 2023, during an interview with Arise Television, Bwala referred to Tinubu as a “president-select” rather than a “president-elect,” insisting that the electoral process was flawed.
“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 said at the time.
However, following his engagement with the President, Bwala said his perspective has changed, leading to his appointment in the current administration.
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