Presidential spokesperson Daniel Bwala has dismissed renewed attention to his past criticisms of President Bola Tinubu, saying those comments should no longer dominate public conversations because they are no longer relevant to current realities.
Speaking on Politics Today on Channels Television on Wednesday, Bwala responded to questions from host Seun Okinbaloye about remarks he made before joining the Tinubu administration. He expressed frustration that the issue continued to resurface, arguing that it distracts from more pressing national concerns.
According to Bwala, the repeated focus on his previous statements adds little value to public discourse.
“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 discussions should instead focus on issues that directly affect Nigerians, including the economy, education, and security. Bwala also referenced a reported letter from U.S. President Donald Trump commending President Tinubu’s efforts in addressing security challenges.
“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,” he said.
Highlighting the administration’s achievements, Bwala argued that the government has strengthened coordination among Nigeria’s security agencies, describing it as an unprecedented level of collaboration in the country’s history.
When asked whether calling his previous comments “baseless” meant they were untrue, Bwala rejected that interpretation, insisting there is a difference between the two.
“They are not lies. They are baseless. Not important for conversation.”
The presidential aide also accused the programme’s host of giving disproportionate attention to opposition narratives while overlooking similar political shifts involving opposition figures. As an example, he referenced Labour Party’s Peter Obi, noting that the former Anambra State governor had changed political parties multiple times during his career.
Bwala concluded by urging the media and the public to move beyond debates about his past remarks and focus instead on the Tinubu administration’s policies and the issues that have the greatest impact on Nigerians’ daily lives.
