The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, has revealed that he recently underwent throat surgery, days after his widely discussed interview with Mehdi Hasan of Al Jazeera.
Bwala made the disclosure during an appearance on News Central’s programme 60 Minutes with Mr Kay, where he also addressed the criticism that trailed the interview.
According to him, the medical procedure took place approximately eight days after the televised exchange, which had generated intense reactions across social media.
“Eight days after the interview, I underwent surgery on my throat,” Bwala said.
“I don’t know whether it is the Obidient people that threw that African thing, but in any case, I’m back and strong.”
His remarks come amid sustained backlash online, particularly from supporters of Peter Obi, popularly known as “Obidients.”
Bwala accused a segment of the group of prioritising political loyalty over national interest.
“There exists a group on social media who, in my view, place loyalty to their preferred candidate above the broader interests and security of the country,” he stated.
Defending his performance during the interview, Bwala described Hasan’s questioning approach as confrontational and reflective of opposition-style journalism.
“What Mehdi Hasan did was what we call opposition-style journalism,” he said.
“He attempted to extract statements that could be used to discredit the government, but I do not believe he succeeded.”
A significant portion of the interview focused on Bwala’s past criticisms of Tinubu prior to his defection from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2023.
While acknowledging making several of the remarks, he argued that the discussion placed undue emphasis on his past positions rather than current policy matters.
“I admitted that I had made even more statements than those referenced,” he said, noting that he had urged the interviewer to shift focus to the purpose of the engagement.
The interview, which quickly went viral especially on X sparked mixed reactions, with clips circulating widely and drawing criticism from various quarters.
During the exchange, Hasan confronted Bwala with past comments in which he had sharply criticised Tinubu before later aligning with his administration.
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At points where Bwala disputed the remarks, video evidence was presented, further fuelling online debate.
The journalist also pressed him on Nigeria’s security challenges, citing reports from organisations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, though Bwala did not provide detailed data in response during the interview.
Despite the controversy, Bwala maintained that he remains focused on his responsibilities in government and undeterred by the reactions trailing the interview.
