Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Policy Communication, has brushed aside the criticism that followed his appearance on Al Jazeera’s Head to Head programme, saying he stands by his defence of the administration.

The interview, hosted by journalist Mehdi Hasan and aired on Thursday, quickly stirred reactions online after clips circulated widely on social media, particularly on X. Many critics claimed Bwala struggled during the exchange and described his outing as embarrassing.

During the programme, Hasan confronted Bwala with several of his past comments about Tinubu, statements he made before leaving the Peoples Democratic Party for the All Progressives Congress ahead of the 2023 elections. In those earlier remarks, Bwala had sharply criticised Tinubu, describing him as corrupt and unfit for leadership.

When Bwala denied making some of the comments, Hasan played video clips of the statements, prompting further mockery from online critics.

The interviewer also questioned him on Nigeria’s security challenges, referencing reports by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. Observers later argued that Bwala struggled to counter those claims with specific figures.

Responding to the backlash in a statement issued on Saturday, Bwala said he was not bothered by the reactions, which he attributed largely to opposition supporters.

According to him, the criticism was predictable and fleeting, insisting it would not distract him from his responsibility of defending the government.

He also rejected suggestions that his performance during the interview was weak.

Bwala said his role was not to impress viewers or seek public applause, but to promote and defend the administration he serves, a task he said he carries out willingly.

He disclosed that producers of the programme had contacted him nearly six months earlier, stating their intention to question him on issues such as insecurity, corruption and the economy. However, he claimed he was never told that his previous statements about Tinubu would be part of the discussion.

Bwala argued that if the programme had planned to focus on those remarks, professional ethics required the producers to notify him beforehand so he could prepare his response.

He further accused Hasan of relying on what he described as opposition-style research, alleging that some of the quotes used during the interview were either inaccurate or entirely fabricated. He said he would address the matter more fully at a later time.

On the controversy surrounding his past criticisms of Tinubu, Bwala said such shifts were not unusual in politics. He noted that political figures often move from opposing to supporting leaders once alliances change.

He cited the example of former United States President Donald Trump, pointing out that several members of Trump’s cabinet had previously spoken against him before joining his administration.

Turning his attention to the opposition in Nigeria, Bwala said they lacked a clear vision or policy alternatives for the country. He challenged them to subject themselves to similar scrutiny on international platforms if they believed they had better ideas for governing.

Bwala maintained that he has never avoided interviews about the government’s record and would continue to engage in public debates whenever necessary.

He even expressed interest in returning to the programme for another appearance, saying that by then the conversation could move beyond his past statements and focus more on the policies and achievements of the Tinubu administration.

Despite his criticisms of the interview, Bwala described Hasan as a highly skilled debater and said he still respected him.

He also expressed appreciation to those, both in Nigeria and abroad, who commended what he described as his courageous defence of the government during a difficult interview.