The special adviser to President Tinubu, on policy communication Daniel Bwala, has launched a blistering attack on Labour Party’s Peter Obi and the opposition coalition, accusing them of lacking credible alternatives, misrepresenting facts, and exploiting public sentiment without demonstrating genuine leadership or empathy.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Bwala described the opposition as a “coalition of internally displaced politicians” whose public criticisms of the Tinubu administration are not backed by facts, plans or policy solutions.
“They have not brought a single alternative policy to the table,” Bwala said. “All they do is criticise and issue press statements. The truth is they lack vision and have not shown Nigerians they truly care.”
The comments came in reaction to Peter Obi’s recent appearance on the same programme, where the former Anambra State governor criticised the Tinubu administration for being insensitive, wasteful, and failing to address economic hardship and national crises.
Bwala countered that Obi had failed to present specific policy ideas or show empathy himself. “You asked him how he would handle subsidy removal differently — he said he would do it in an organised way but couldn’t explain what that means,” Bwala stated. “You asked how he would fix power — he said it’s not rocket science. But there were no clear answers.”
On the subject of empathy, Bwala argued that President Tinubu had shown more concern than Obi ever did, adding that governance is not measured by public appearances at crisis scenes alone.
“He said the President didn’t go to Mokwa or Yawata after attacks. But where was Peter Obi? He talks about empathy — but if he really had it, he wouldn’t need to be President before visiting places in distress,” Bwala said.
He defended the President’s approach to security and crisis management, noting that the National Security Adviser, military chiefs, and ministers have visited affected areas as representatives of the President under Section 5 of the Constitution.
On Nigeria’s growing debt, Bwala said Obi was being dishonest. He cited a recent clarification that the apparent rise in Nigeria’s debt profile was largely due to naira devaluation, not fresh borrowing.
“In dollar terms, the country’s debt has actually reduced from about $130 billion to $97 billion,” Bwala claimed. “Peter Obi doesn’t understand the statistics. Every claim he makes, when verified, turns out to be false.”
He also accused Obi of distorting his record as governor. “He raised school fees in Anambra. Students dropped out. Health workers went on strike. He even sacked a Vice Chancellor. That’s not the legacy of a man who claims to care,” Bwala said.
The presidential spokesperson also took a swipe at the newly formed opposition coalition, describing it as a shaky alliance driven by personal ambition. He predicted the coalition would collapse before the next election cycle.
“Everyone in that coalition wants to be President. It will not last. In six months, it won’t even be a conversation,” he said.
He further claimed that Obi, once seen as a front-runner for 2027, has been sidelined. “He’s not even the presidential candidate anymore. He’s now lobbying to be campaign director-general. That’s a long fall from grace,” Bwala said.
Despite growing public criticism over hardship and insecurity, Bwala insisted that the Tinubu administration was already addressing many of the issues raised by its critics.
“Obi says he wants to invest in education. We are already doing that. Over 300,000 poor Nigerians have returned to school under this government,” he said. “They say they’ll fix what we are already fixing.”
Bwala concluded by urging Nigerians to judge parties not by what they say, but by what they deliver. “The opposition is offering fantasy. We’re offering results,” he said.
