A political economist and former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Kingsley Moghalu has accused Daniel Bwala, a special adviser to President Bola Tinubu of making a spectacle of Nigeria in his interview with Al Jazeera’s Mehdi Hasan.
In a post made on his social media page, Moghalu said Bwala’s interview on Al Jazeera’s Head to Head program was an immense disaster for Nigeria as a country, for President Tinubu’s administration, and for Bwala himself.
Noting that Bwala’s track record speaks for itself, the political economist said the interview was a sad commentary on Nigeria’s political culture in which there are no beliefs, no policies, no ideology but just crass opportunism and the battle for political power.
He said, “The interview made a spectacle of Nigeria, not just because of the reach of the program globally, but also the format in which there was a global audience in the room itself.
“What will each of those people think about Nigeria after such a fact-based shredding of the country’s leadership and its performance?” Moghalu queried.
Expressing worry that Bwala was sent out to speak for Nigeria’s President on the international stage, despite his past is clear evidence that mediocrity, not competence reigns supreme in Tinubu’s administration.
Moghalu also queried President Tinubu focus on appointing former attack dogs of the political opposition as spokespersons and Ambassadors for the administration simply because they have “defected”.
According to him, the baggage such individuals carry, especially when they did not simply espouse principled opposition that may later change, as sometimes happens in politics, but rather used inflammatory and personalised attacks on President Tinubu, renders such persons lacking in credibility in representational roles.
“Bwala was left trying to eat his words with bare-faced lies!
“I think there are people who could be far more credible spokesmen and women for Nigeria’s government, even with all its underperformance in governance. At least, the discussion will focus on the actual track record of the government, not on the government spokesman’s prior condemnations of that track record.
“It was a sad day for our country. I’ve received several calls from friends from various countries around the world. All were in shock and felt sorry to see Nigeria placed in such a spot. So many people are waiting and hoping for when our country will “wake up” and take its rightful place under the sun. The citizens of Nigeria are brilliant, hardworking and respected all over the world, breaking barriers and achieving feats in various spheres. The government and incompetent governance of Nigeria by its politicians remain a sorry tale,” he stated.
