The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has condemned President Bola Tinubu’s decision to appoint Daniel Bwala, a former campaign spokesperson for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, as Special Adviser on Public Relations and Media.
The association opined that it would be difficult for the Bwala government to communicate the government’s meaningful and concrete achievements to Nigerians.
Fuliwa, in a statement signed by the National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, said Nigerians would not take Bwala seriously because of his notoriety which tarnishes the credibility of the President.
Mr. Huliwa stressed to the President that efforts to convey to Nigerians the meaningful and concrete achievements of his government would be in vain because of Mr. Bwala’s notoriety.
The statement read: “During the 2023 presidential campaign, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been notorious for vehemently denying his qualifications, integrity and credibility, and the mass communication media cannot believe his word. They will not even accept it as such.”
Mr Huliwa said the appointment of Mr Bwala as his spokesperson was an emphatic statement by Mr Tinubu that public opinion mattered little to him.
“How does President Tinubu expect that sensible Nigerians will believe the words that come out of the mouth of Daniel Bwala? This is the same person who went to the level of the people’s gutter as his campaign spokesperson.” Did you label APC presidential candidate Bola Ahmed Tinubu as someone involved in drug trafficking?
“What has changed between when Bwala was cornering Tinubu during the presidential campaign and now that he has gone to win the presidential nomination?
“Memories of Nigerians are fresh in the memory of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who implicated him in such a heinous crime in a prime-time television interview that was viewed by over 100 million Nigerians. We remember all the dirty campaigns against the person. Similar widely damaging information about Tinubu was spread on the front pages of major newspapers.
“Mr. President should strive to respect ethics and morals in deciding who to appoint to public office. Mr. It must be recognized that any attempt to create an impression necessarily invalidates the essence of governance.
“Imagine that the same person who made sensational claims when the president was a candidate is now the same president’s press secretary as if Nigerians have no memory of it.
“This is a moral aberration. Mr. President, if Bwala needs financial assistance, why not give him a legal adviser to earn real income instead of wasting the high office of Special Public Adviser? What do you think?” the statement added.
