Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication and Media, has firmly denied ever describing Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a drug lord, insisting the claim stems from distorted social media narratives later amplified by some mainstream media outlets without proper verification.
Speaking in an interview with News Central, Bwala challenged anyone to present video evidence supporting the allegation. He stated clearly that he has never referred to the President in such a manner and does not hold that belief.
He also addressed another viral claim suggesting he once said giving Tinubu 30 years in office would not change anything. According to Bwala, the statement was taken out of context from a December 25, 2023 interview on Channels Television, where he was criticizing a flawed policy—not the President’s tenure. He clarified that his actual point was that deeply flawed policies cannot be fixed even over a long period.
Bwala emphasized that he possesses the original video of the interview and even offered to present it during the broadcast to set the record straight.
Using the incident as an example, he criticized what he described as a growing trend in Nigerian media, where unverified social media claims are treated as factual reports. He stressed the importance of journalistic integrity, urging media professionals to verify information at its source before publication—likening the process to academic research standards.
While acknowledging that many journalists still uphold ethical practices, Bwala argued that a small group has increasingly relied on sensational, unverified content driven by social media engagement and monetization.
Bwala, who previously served as a spokesperson for Atiku Abubakar’s 2023 presidential campaign before joining Tinubu’s administration, maintained that he had consistently rejected the “drug lord” narrative even during the election period.
Despite his clarification, his denial has continued to attract skepticism in some quarters.
