Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser on Policy Communication to President Tinubu, has criticized media representations of public sentiment during an interview with PAPShow.
Describing the administration’s grassroots engagement efforts, Bwala explained their direct approach to understanding citizen concerns. “We go to the marketplaces and price items. Recently, we were in the Northwest of Nigeria. We go to the street and do what we call street advocacy,” he said.
The adviser detailed their community outreach methodology, stating, “We hold what we call coffee meetings with people from different demographics—the farmers, the students, and the rest. And we talk to them. I don’t know who else is an ordinary Nigerian than these individuals.”
Bwala then challenged media organizations’ claims about public opinion, questioning their sourcing practices. “So sometimes when the media mirrors a question and says ‘this is the feeling of the ordinary Nigerians,’ then I begin to wonder, because media love the narratives of hiding behind anonymity to push their own media agenda, which is anti-Tinubu government,” he stated.
Emphasizing the importance of journalistic standards, Bwala added, “So if you are telling me ordinary Nigerians, give me the source of your ordinary Nigerians. Source information is an integral part of media. In fact, it forms the basis of the credibility of the media. You must give a source.”
The comments reflect ongoing tensions between the current administration and sections of the Nigerian media regarding coverage of government policies and public reception.
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