Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Policy Communication, has responded to criticisms of his recent interview with Mehdi Hassan, saying he was aware of the implications of his role and defended his performance. “Promoting and defending the President and his administration is what I do with ease and joy,” he stated.

Bwala claimed Head to Head, the program that aired the interview, didn’t disclose plans to question his past, adding some quotes read during the interview were inaccurate or fake. He described Mehdi Hassan’s style as “opposition research-style journalism”.

Regarding past criticisms of President Tinubu, Bwala said, “It is all politics” and doesn’t bother the President. He thanked supporters and praised Mehdi Hassan as “arguably the best debater on the planet”, looking forward to part two of the interview.