Daniel Bwala Refutes Previous Allegation of Militia Creation by Tinubu in Al Jazeera Interview

Daniel Bwala, the Special Adviser on Policy Communication to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has countered accusations that he once claimed the Nigerian leader established a militia to influence the 2023 elections.

During an appearance on Al Jazeera's "Head to Head" with Mehdi Hasan, Bwala addressed the assertions in the context of the show's focus on Tinubu’s governance under the title, "Nigeria: ‘Renewed Hope’ or ‘Hopelessness’?".

Hasan presented Bwala with video evidence and quotes from when he was previously aligned with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar's presidential campaign.

The host referred to a statement made on January 22, 2023, in which Bwala allegedly accused Tinubu of creating a militia to corruptly influence the elections.

“You indicated that Tinubu established a militia to tamper with the elections,” Hasan stated.

In response, Bwala firmly denied the accusation. “Tinubu did not create any militia, and I never made that claim,” he insisted.

The discussion continued with Hasan bringing up other allegations, including Bwala's previous concerns regarding unusual cash movements into Tinubu's residence during an election cycle.

Once again, Bwala denied this assertion, stating, “I never remarked that.”

The interviewer also cited various clips circulating online in which Bwala purportedly mentioned receiving threats from Tinubu or his political associates after criticizing the then-candidate of the All Progressives Congress.

Bwala again refuted these claims. “I never said that,” he reiterated when pressed.

Discussing how his past political remarks contrasted with his present duties, Bwala explained that he was part of the opposition during the campaign, and his earlier statements reflected that role.

According to him, the role of the opposition inherently involves opposing rival candidates.

“The function of an opposition party is to contest,” Bwala stated, adding that his earlier comments were part of typical political discourse and do not align with his current position of supporting President Tinubu's administration.