Presidential spokesman Daniel Bwala has said his previous criticisms of President Bola Tinubu should no longer dominate public discussions, describing them as “baseless” in light of present realities while maintaining they were never false.
Speaking during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday, Bwala on Tinubu became a major talking point as he defended his current position in the administration during an exchange with programme host Seun Okinbaloye.
During the interview, Bwala expressed frustration that his earlier statements about Tinubu continued to receive attention despite his role in the current administration.
He noted that the presenter had repeatedly revisited the issue on previous occasions, arguing that the discussion had become irrelevant to the concerns of ordinary Nigerians. According to him, public conversations should be centred on governance rather than revisiting political comments made before he joined the government.
Bwala insisted that Nigerians are more interested in issues affecting their daily lives, including the economy, education and national security.
He also referenced a letter reportedly sent by United States President Donald Trump, which he said commended President Tinubu’s efforts in strengthening security, arguing that such developments deserved greater public attention. According to the presidential spokesman, too much time had been spent discussing his former remarks instead of examining government policies and their impact on citizens.
Defending the administration’s performance, Bwala on Tinubu said the government had recorded significant progress, particularly in strengthening cooperation among Nigeria’s security agencies. He argued that the current administration has improved coordination in a way not previously experienced, describing it as a major achievement under President Tinubu’s leadership.
When asked whether describing his earlier comments as “baseless” implied they were lies, Bwala rejected that interpretation.
He maintained that there is a clear distinction between statements being false and becoming irrelevant over time. According to him, his previous remarks were not lies but had become unimportant in the context of current realities and therefore should no longer shape public discourse.
Bwala also accused the programme’s anchor of focusing excessively on opposition talking points while overlooking similar political developments involving opposition figures.
As an example, he referenced Labour Party leader Peter Obi, noting that the former Anambra State governor had changed political parties several times. He questioned whether the same level of scrutiny had been applied to opposition politicians, suggesting that media coverage should be more balanced.
Concluding his remarks, Bwala reiterated that continued debates over his previous criticisms of President Tinubu no longer serve any meaningful purpose. Instead, he urged Nigerians and the media to concentrate on government policies, economic reforms, education, security and other issues directly affecting the lives of citizens.
