Special Adviser (SA) to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication Daniel Bwala has described former presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election, Peter Obi as a “character-in-chief” who thrives on theatrics.
SA Bwala who stated this during an interview on The Clarity Zone Podcast- a Nigerian talk show, was reacting to claims that Obi had previously referred to him as a ‘character.’
While drawing a comparison with acting, SA Bwala said Obi was merely playing a role rather than presenting realistic leadership ideas.
“In a movie, an actor is a character. He is actually the character-in-chief because what he is doing is what we call theatrics,” Bwala said.
According to the presidential aide, Obi sold an unrealistic narrative to his supporters.
“You are painting a fictitious picture of a reality that will never exist. That was the hope he sold to his people,” he added.
SA Bwala argued that the disappointment that followed Obi’s loss in the 2023 presidential election led to frustration among his supporters.
“When reality dawned and he lost the election, they couldn’t manage the fantasy they had been sold, and they went berserk,” he claimed.
SA Bwala further accused Obi’s supporters of lacking a consistent platform, alleging that they now roam across media spaces attacking people. “Leadership is not easy. It requires sacrifice.
“Politicians, including President Bola Tinubu and others, make enormous sacrifices to build a political base that resonates with the people,” Bwala said.
The presidential aide also dismissed Obi’s claim that he had never been to Anambra State, insisting that he was familiar with the area and could even describe the road leading to Obi’s residence.
SA Bwala also joked that he knew the location of a mentally unstable man whom Obi had once said, advised him during his tenure as Anambra State governor.
The comments referenced Obi’s earlier account, during the build-up to the 2023 elections, in which he said advice from a mentally unstable individual helped him resolve a major security challenge while in office.
“And he also said I have never been to Anambra. I can tell you the road that leads to his house. Peter Obi is from Agulu,” Bwala said.
“From Nnewi, you have Umudim, Nnewichi, Uruagu, and Otolo. I know places in the East. I even know the junction near Upper Iweka where the madman he talked about used to stay. So how can he say I have never been to Anambra?,” the presidential aide noted.
