The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, has described Nigeria’s opposition as “desperados” and “content creators,” with no capacity to govern.
Bwala, while criticising the opposition’s approach, spoke on Thursday on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, monitored by DAILY POST in Abeokuta.
He alleged that the opposition had failed, over the past three years, to present Nigerians with an alternative policy direction or explain what it would do differently from the current administration.
Bwala accused opposition politicians of focusing on issues that generate public discussion rather than presenting concrete alternatives.
He said, “The opposition in Nigeria, they are lazy. They don’t have a job. That’s why in the past three years, they have never been able, and up till today, to tell Nigerians one thing that they will do differently from what we are doing.”
He also defended President Tinubu’s relationship with governors across political parties, arguing that the administration’s policies and federal interventions had attracted support from some governors outside the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Bwala cited governors in Bauchi, Anambra and Abia states as examples, arguing that governors would naturally support a president whose policies and interventions benefit their states.
He alleged that previous administrations had used federal powers to punish governors and states controlled by opposition parties.
“In their time, do you know what they were doing? If a governor said something they didn’t like, they would remove him. Lagos State suffered and didn’t get any kobo from the local government council that was created. They used all these things to punish their people.”
Rejecting claims that Nigeria was becoming a one-party state, Bwala asked how such a claim could be made when several political parties are registered with the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and are participating in elections.
He also accused opposition politicians of lacking political awareness, alleging that some opposition figures had struggled to explain the ideology behind their political parties despite claiming to have produced a manifesto.
He said, “They even say they sat together and produced a manifesto. And when the man went to TV and they asked him what the ideology of his party was, he was still stammering.”
Bwala concluded his criticism of the opposition by saying, “These guys are desperados. Leave them. They are just content creators. They are not prepared.”
He, however, called for a new generation of politicians with fresh ideas, saying President Tinubu’s administration was creating opportunities for younger people to occupy leadership positions.
Bwala said the presence of young people in various positions within the administration reflected that vision, expressing confidence that President Tinubu would secure a second term.
They are desperados, content creators’ – Tinubu’s aide knocks opposition