• Super Admin
• 08 Mar, 2026

The grilling of Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, on Al Jazeera's "Head to Head" programme anchored by Mehdi Hasan has elicited a flurry of reactions. In the 49-minute and 30-second episode examining Tinubu's administration under the theme "Nigeria: 'Renewed Hope' or 'Hopelessness'?", Hasan confronted Bwala with old quotes, clips, and statements from his time as an opposition figure aligned with former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar's campaign. Bwala denied ever making such claims, saying, "I never said that" when pressed. The president's aide explained his shift, noting he was in opposition at the time, where "the job of opposition is to oppose." He added that those past statements were part of political rhetoric and no longer relevant in his current role defending the president. Following the interview, which has generated over 400,000 views on YouTube, many Nigerians took to various social media platforms to air their opinions. While some criticised Bwala's outing, others praised him for his composure and poise during the session. Abubakar Evuti on X said: "Mr. Bwala is a brilliant man. He is as articulate but he suffered because of his own inconsistency. That's why it's important to make our words against political opponents as soft as possible in case the day comes when we have to eat those words." Ira Andenwui said, "Daniel Bwala is a perfect representation of someone who has played both well. He used to be in the opposition and then switched to the incumbent. Playing opposition is not just for the fun of it or lying all just to paint the government of the day black." For Kikiola Alade, "Bwala Daniel's response to his question/concern was well answered. Shifting sides does not have to be based only on moral ideas. It can be personal too." Tope TeddyA said: "Bwala did his research on Mehdi Hassan but thought he could wing it in that interview." Meanwhile, Bwala, in his reaction, alleged that several quotations attributed to organisations and groups during his interview with Hassan were inaccurate or outright fabricated. Bwala made the claim in a statement on Saturday, while responding to reactions that have trailed the interview on the "Head to Head" programme. According to him, a careful review of the interview would reveal that many of the statements Hassan cited as coming from organisations or groups were either misrepresented or completely false. He said, "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. The presidential aide insisted that he remained committed to defending the administration of President Tinubu wherever the opportunity arises. He said that when he accepted the role given to him by the President, he was fully aware of the demands of the job and was prepared to face any level of scrutiny. "When I signed on to the privileged job granted to me by Mr. President, I was well aware of its implications. Selling ice cream, looking fine, and seeking the praises of men were never part of it," he stated. Bwala added that he would never avoid interviews concerning the defence and promotion of the Tinubu administration's policies and programmes. "I am 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 also criticised the approach taken by the interview programme, claiming that the producers did not inform him beforehand that the discussion would include questions about his past political statements. According to him, the programme initially indicated that the interview would focus on issues relating to security, the economy and corruption. Bwala further dismissed criticism from political opponents, describing many of the reactions as coming largely from opposition figures and their sympathisers. He argued that the opposition lacked a clear vision or alternative programme for governing Nigeria. "The majority of the naysayers are members of the opposition and their sympathisers. Their temporary excitement over the interview will not last because it does not take away their obvious problem of lack of vision," he said. Despite his criticisms, Bwala expressed respect for Hassan, describing him as "arguably the best debater on the planet," and indicated willingness to participate in a follow-up session of the programme. He said he looked forward to a second part of the interview where discussions could focus more on the policies and achievements of the Tinubu administration. Source: https://thenationonlineng.net/mixed-reactions-trail-daniel-bwalas-grilling-by-al-jazeeras-mehdi-hasan/