If supporting Tinubu would take me back to APC, so be it, says Atiku’s former aide

Daniel Bwala, spokesperson for the Atiku Abubakar presidential campaign in 2023, on Wednesday, paid a visit to President Bola Tinubu at the State House in Abuja.

Speaking shortly after the visit, Bwala, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said he is committed to supporting Tinubu’s administration to succeed.

Some of his ministers that were allegedly reported to have committed infractions, instead of protecting them, he asked that the law should have its course and suspended somebody without wasting time,” he said.

“That to me is impressive because it’s about the people. Secondly, there has been this outcry that the government is bloated and the rest. Yesterday, he introduced a policy that reduced the cost of governance and today he told me it is just the beginning.

“There are many more decisions of government that will reduce the cost of governance.

“What have we been talking about as citizens, if you don’t have a personal grudge against someone if it is a policy issue? When policies are going correctly…and what I’m saying apart from today that I’m talking here, you all need to visit my Twitter (X) page.

“In the last few days, I have been expressing my surprise and appreciation to the President for the decisions he is taking. So, this is not about political party.

“You need to know that I was with him before I left and I was doggedly committed to him. I told him today. I’m committing to playing my part to support your administration. And I have no apologies to anybody.

“APC is a party. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is my motivation, if supporting him will take me to APC, so be it.”

In August 2022 ahead of the last presidential election, Bwala said he would not “malign” the image of Tinubu, who at the time, was the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

A month earlier, Bwala, a legal practitioner, resigned his membership of the APC over what he described as his “principles and conviction”.

He had criticised the APC over the choice of a Muslim, Kashim Shettima, former governor of Borno, as the vice-presidential candidate — since the party’s presidential flagbearer is also a Muslim.

Bwala said he did not leave the APC because Atiku promised to reward him with an appointment as insinuated in some quarters.

“I can tell you without mincing words, Atiku Abubakar is the last politician in Nigeria you can accuse of being nepotistic or a religious bigot. Even the fiercest critic can tell you that. If you look at the team that surrounds him at the moment, we have even less of northerners,” he said.

“I know of some persons who currently operate as political mercenaries, like one that wrote an article against me, a few days ago. They are operating as mercenaries. Let me give you an example, somebody said I left because I wanted appointment with Atiku.

“Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the flagbearer of APC, promised that he was going to make me the presidential spokesperson for his campaign and he made the promise a few weeks before the primary, and I have witnesses that know themselves and they are of high repute in government, in the party and around him.

“This is not even a dispute. I’m saying that on record because if what I’m saying is not true, asiwaju Bola Tinubu must be seeing the interview today and my memory of asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a sweet memory.

“I have my highest regards and respect for him. I say even in this election, I will never engage in maligning his image and character. There are people that will like to tempt you to do that.

“My last memory of him was a sweet memory where he gave me regard that governors and senators did not get, and I respect that. This is not about me and asiwaju, and this is about Nigeria and what we are facing.”