Africa
Bwala Criticises Al Jazeera Interview, Says Questions on Past Anti-Tinubu Comments Were Unfair
Presidential aide Daniel Bwala says Al Jazeera used “opposition-style journalism” after his Head to Head interview focused on his past criticism of President Bola Tinubu.
Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser on Policy Communication to President Bola Tinubu, has criticised Al Jazeera following his recent appearance on the programme Head to Head, accusing the network of practising “opposition-style journalism.”
The interview, hosted by Mehdi Hasan, examined Tinubu’s government under the theme “Nigeria: ‘Renewed Hope’ or ‘Hopelessness’?”.
During the discussion, Bwala was confronted with earlier statements and video clips from his time in the opposition, when he was politically aligned with former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar.
The exchange drew significant attention online after the interview went viral.
Reacting in a statement, Bwala said he was willing to face questioning anywhere to defend the Tinubu administration.
“I remain prepared to appear before any interviewer, anywhere in the world, any day and at any time, to defend this government and its policies,” he said.
He explained that the programme had initially approached him to discuss security, economic issues and corruption but did not indicate that his past remarks would become the focus.
“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.
“But that’s okay, ethically, that is on them, not on me. I refused to swallow the pill of Mehdi’s ‘opposition research-style journalism,’ and even today, if you carefully compare what he read as quotes from organisations and groups, you will see that many were inaccurate and some were outright fake news.”
Bwala said his previous criticism of Tinubu was made when he was part of the opposition.
“As for what I said about President Tinubu in the past, I am glad those were things I said when I was in the opposition saddle with such zeal. It is all politics,” he said.
He also noted that political leaders often appoint former critics to key positions, citing US President Donald Trump.
“Half of Donald Trump’s cabinet is made up of people who once spoke against him, and quite a number of people in our own cabinet also spoke against President Tinubu in the past. Those things do not bother him if you care to know.”
Bwala concluded by challenging opposition figures to present their own policies publicly.
“Clearly they have no path to victory and no alternative policies or program for the Nigerian people. And if they say they do, they can as well go to head to head and be interrogated on that; as the saying in Hausa goes ‘Ga fili Ga doki’.”
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