A prominent APC chieftain and key figure in the party’s 2023 Presidential Election Campaign Council, Jesutega Onokpasa, has warned that President Bola Tinubu’s decision to appoint Daniel Bwala could severely damage his chances in the 2027 election.
Onokpasa expressed outrage over the president’s choice to reward Bwala, a former vocal critic who had publicly insulted both Tinubu and the APC during the 2023 campaign.
In an exclusive interview with Arise TV’s Charles Aniagolu, Onokpasa accused the president of undermining loyal party members by rewarding those who campaigned against him.
He described the appointment of Bwala, who had leveled serious accusations against Tinubu, including calling him a drug baron, as a “stab in the back” to APC members who defended the president against such attacks.
Onokpasa warned that such decisions could have long-term repercussions for Tinubu’s political future. He cautioned that the same individuals who worked tirelessly for the president in 2023 could mobilize against him in 2027 if they feel betrayed by his appointments. He emphasized that this betrayal was not just about individual disappointments but about sending the wrong message to party loyalists, potentially eroding their trust and support.
The APC chieftain also criticized the president for rewarding Bwala, a figure he described as one of Atiku Abubakar’s most aggressive campaigners. Onokpasa stressed that no one in Nigeria could deny the level of vitriol Bwala had directed at Tinubu and the APC, calling it unacceptable for such a person to be appointed to any position in the government. He argued that by rewarding Bwala, Tinubu was encouraging others to adopt the same approach: attacking the president and the party in exchange for political appointments.
Onokpasa’s frustration stems from the fact that many party members, including himself, had defended Tinubu from such attacks during the election cycle, often at great personal and political cost. He expressed that, despite his disappointment, his objections were not rooted in personal gain but in a sense of loyalty to the president and the party’s principles. He lamented that the president’s actions had not reflected the sacrifices made by loyal APC members during the campaign.
Despite his anger, Onokpasa made it clear that he would not be resigning from the APC, though he admitted that the president had lost his trust. He acknowledged that many party members across Nigeria shared similar feelings of being disregarded and betrayed. He warned Tinubu that if the president did not reconsider his approach to appointments, it could cost him significantly in the 2027 elections, as disgruntled party members could turn against him.
In addition to criticizing Bwala’s appointment, Onokpasa also accused Tinubu of nepotism, claiming that his government was favoring individuals from Lagos and other Western states while sidelining key regions like the Niger Delta, South East, and Middle Belt, which had shown strong support for the APC during the 2023 elections. He argued that such regional favoritism was reminiscent of former President Buhari’s alleged “northernization” of his administration and would lead to further alienation within the party.
Onokpasa also addressed the worsening economic situation in Nigeria, particularly the removal of the petrol subsidy. He called on President Tinubu to take immediate action to alleviate the hardship facing many Nigerians, urging him to either reduce the price of petrol or make food more affordable for struggling families.
Onokpasa warned the president that if he failed to address these issues, particularly the controversial appointments, it could have serious consequences not only for his re-election prospects but also for the stability of the APC as a whole. He emphasized that Tinubu needed to respect the loyalty and sacrifices of party members to secure their continued support heading into the next election.
In his words, “Bwala helped Atiku Abubakar to fail in 2023. He will help Asiwaju to fail in 2027. Wait and see. We can’t tolerate this. Bwala in this government? No way. Asiwaju has to respect us. We deserve his respect. We Nigerians have the right to hire and fire the president. He has to respect us and the party”
