A live interview on Arise Television on Monday from 21:51, November 10, 2025, turned tense as Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Policy Communication, clashed with anchor Charles over the President’s refusal to directly address Nigerians amid escalating diplomatic friction with the United States.
The anchor opened the segment by highlighting what he described as growing public frustration. He said, “We are not seeing any attempt by the President to reach out to Nigerians at this moment. There have been very loud, increasingly strident calls for President Tinubu to address the nation about all this. And many people say they are shocked that Mr. Tinubu has still not spoken to Nigerians as a leader talking to the people he leads. Why hasn’t he done so? I’m not talking about his aides. I’m not talking about you. I’m talking about the President. Why hasn’t he deemed it necessary to talk to Nigerians about this huge quarrel that’s broken out with the Americans at a time when many Nigerians are afraid and worried that things could get worse? Why not?,” he added.
Bwala responded sharply, saying, “Well, I want to assume that the Nigerians you are referring to are Nigerians that need more education about communication.” The comment prompted visible surprise from the anchor, who retorted, “I don’t understand what you’re talking. I asked you a straightforward question. You’re not answering.” Bwala then asked, “What is the straightforward question?” The anchor reiterated, “The straightforward question is why hasn’t the President up to now addressed his people at a time of incredible crisis?”
Defending the President, Bwala replied, “And if the President speaks to the Nigerian people through tweets, is that not a communication?” When the anchor objected, Bwala pressed further: “If the President tweets, is that not a communication? If the President issues a statement, is that not a communication?” The anchor insisted that only a direct national broadcast would suffice. “No, no. He needs to address the Nigerian people… on television, on radio, where they can watch him and hear him and look at him and hear what he has to say.”
Bwala countered, “When the President received envoy and was speaking about what Nigeria is doing and the commitment of Nigeria, which is covered by TV and reported by radio, is that not a means of communication?” The anchor invoked the words of former presidential aide Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, saying, “His question was what does it take to get President Tinubu to address the country? Is he not a leader that’s elected by the people? Isn’t that what leaders do? If not now, when?”
Bwala maintained his stance: “The President is communicating every day… You issue a tweet, it’s communication. You speak through TV, it’s a communication. Through radio, it’s a communication. And I tell you the official act of the President is covered by TV… Is that not a communication?” Discussion later shifted to expectations that the U.S. under President Donald Trump may apply targeted sanctions on Nigeria. The anchor noted, “Conventional wisdom seems to suggest that even if he refrains from taking military action… targeted sanctions are still likely to go ahead… So in that regard, your efforts would have failed, wouldn’t it?”
Bwala disagreed, saying, “No, it would not have failed. We have a good relationship with America. We understand the message… They need enhanced counterterrorism measures… We accept the recommendation. We accept their opinion… The President has committed… you’ve seen the success of the Nigerian soldiers against ISWAP… They neutralized people.” He concluded with confidence, “They are not going to place sanction on us, because we are addressing the problem they have raised.” View, More,
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