APC chieftain queries Tinubu’s appointment of Daniel Bwala as special adviser

Mohammed Saidu Etsu, a former All Progressives Congress (APC) national chairmanship aspirant, has voiced strong criticism over President Bola Tinubu’s appointment of Daniel Bwala as Special Adviser on Policy Communication.

Etsu questioned the wisdom of the appointment, citing Bwala’s past actions and statements against Tinubu.

In an appearance on Arise TV’s Morning Show on Tuesday, Etsu reminded viewers of Bwala’s previous derogatory comments about Tinubu, suggesting that it was inconsistent for the president to now bring him into the fold as a spokesperson.

Etsu also accused Bwala of having worked hard to secure a position within Tinubu’s media team, despite his earlier criticisms of the president.

He said, “It’s not bad to have a presidential spokesperson, but to have people who have insulted or denigrated the office of the president as a spokesperson is what I feel is an aberration on us as party loyalists.

“I felt sad for Mr. Bwala, who has been struggling to be appointed into Tinubu’s government because I don’t know why he has been running helter-skelter to be in the government he had denigrated and the government he called all sorts of names before his appointment.

“For Tinubu to appoint Bwala into his media circle, I don’t think he has done well for himself as president because people are looking at Bwala as someone that has said a lot of things about the president.

“He even spoke against the party’s Muslim-Muslim ticket, but today he is back speaking for the same Muslim-Muslim ticket, and this is why I said I feel bad for him struggling to be appointed into Tinubu’s government.

“The current Minister of Digital Economy was appointed, and all the party men were not happy, but he was screened, and they promised to make amendments, but we are seeing now that people who insulted this government are the ones being rewarded.

“When I contested for the National Chairman of this party, I worked on three thresholds – internal party mechanisms, loyalty to the party, and reward system – and I know Asiwaju very well. Before he was elected as president, he always talked about people who have worked for the party being rewarded, but today things have turned into something else.

“The president should adjust himself because he’s losing a lot of core party men. When you talk about bringing your enemies closer, it’s not the likes of Bwala that should be appointed into such a position.

“Somebody that had called the president all sorts of names? He called the president a drug baron, and you appointed him? That’s why I said I feel sad for Bwala to struggle to take this appointment.”