A former aide to Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Daniel Bwala, has officially assumed the role of President Bola Tinubu’s spokesman.
His appointment, announced last week, has sparked considerable discussion across the country.
Bwala, who began his duties on Monday, confirmed that he was appointed as Special Adviser on Media and Public Communications at the State House, a position vacated by Ajuri Ngelale following his resignation in September due to health reasons.
On his first day in office, Bwala addressed State House correspondents, emphasising that he would not be distracted by criticism and would focus on fulfilling his duties as the official spokesman for President Tinubu.
He made it clear that his role is to represent the president’s communication priorities and serve the administration’s broader goals, according to Independent.
Bwala also explained that his appointment formally replaces Ngelale’s position.
He outlined his responsibilities as Special Adviser on Media and Public Communications, noting that the role inherently involves managing the president’s public messages.
He further stated that all members of the administration, regardless of their specific titles, work together to support the president’s agenda, underscoring that executive powers are vested in the president, who carries out these duties through his appointed officials.
He said, “I only came to introduce myself to you and the role that was given to me by Mr. President, and I told you that role was once occupied by Ajuri Ngelale.
“If you look at the description of my responsibility, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication— State House. So, that is self explanatory.
“The president is the team leader. Every other person functions as the president wishes, and the position I have been appointed into, the last person who occupied it was a spokesman.
“But for God’s sake, we are all colleagues. We are not particularly bothered about who is this, who is that. We are working to achieve the mandate of Mr. President.”
While giving further explanation, the new presidential appointee said, “All of us are servants and aides to the president. Section five of the constitution rests the executive powers of the federation in the president, and he carries out his duty either by himself, through the vice president or the ministers of the government of the federation.”
