The Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, Phrank Shaibu, on Saturday criticised presidential spokesman Daniel Bwala over his recent media appearance, accusing him of distorting facts and shifting political loyalties.
Shaibu, in a statement issued in Abuja, said Bwala’s reaction following an interview with journalist Mehdi Hasan had exposed what he described as contradictions in the spokesman’s past and present political positions.
The presidential aide had recently defended the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during the interview, an appearance Shaibu claimed failed to convincingly address criticisms against the government.
According to Shaibu, Bwala’s attempt to portray the interview as a strong defence of the administration was misplaced, alleging that the journalist had confronted him with some of his past statements criticising the current government.
He claimed that the interview exposed inconsistencies between Bwala’s earlier comments about Tinubu and his present role as a defender of the administration.
Shaibu further alleged that Bwala once approached members of the Atiku Media Team requesting a statement suggesting that his life was under threat from associates of the President — a request he said the team declined because it considered the claim politically motivated.
The presidential spokesman was also accused of dismissing criticisms of the government by reputable organisations as “fake news” during the interview.
Shaibu argued that issues such as insecurity and the loss of lives across the country should not be reduced to political rhetoric, insisting that matters of national concern deserve serious engagement.
He also criticised Bwala’s defence of the government, claiming that the spokesperson struggled to reconcile his previous criticisms of the administration with his current position.
The Atiku aide further questioned Bwala’s credibility as a government spokesman, describing his arguments in defence of the administration as inconsistent.
Shaibu added that political actors should be guided by principles rather than shifting allegiances, noting that public records and past statements remain accessible.
Efforts to get a reaction from Bwala as of the time of filing this report were unsuccessful.
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