Al Jazeera Interview: Fayose Faults Bwala’s Defence Of Tinubu Govt

Popular Nigerian businessman and social commentator, Isaac Fayose, has criticised attempts to defend the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, saying it has become increasingly difficult to justify the government’s performance.

Fayose made the remark on Saturday while reacting to a recent interview granted by the President’s Special Adviser on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, on Head to Head aired by Al Jazeera and anchored by Mehdi Hasan.

During the programme, Bwala responded to questions on Nigeria’s worsening security situation, with the interviewer citing reports that rank the country among the most dangerous places to live in the world.

Responding, the presidential spokesman acknowledged that insecurity remains a challenge but maintained that security crises are not peculiar to Nigeria.

“I acknowledge the fact that we have insecurity in Nigeria. We began to see back-to-back attacks in Nigeria after the Christian genocide narratives,” Bwala said, adding that no country in the world is entirely free from security threats.

Reacting in a video posted on his Facebook page, Fayose criticised the government’s handling of security and governance, arguing that defending the current administration publicly often appears difficult.

“You can’t defend this government without looking stupid,” he said, while lamenting the state of insecurity in the country.

He further questioned how Nigeria arrived at a point where it is being described among the deadliest countries in the world, blaming what he described as poor leadership and insensitive political actors.

The comments have continued to generate debate among Nigerians, particularly on social media, with critics citing the remarks as a reflection of growing public frustration over insecurity, while supporters of the administration maintained that efforts are ongoing to address the challenge.