Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Policy Communications, has said opposition figures, including African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential flagbearer Atiku Abubakar and his running mate, Rotimi Amaechi, have seen improvements in their personal businesses since the Tinubu administration assumed office.
Bwala equally cited the financial performance of the bank where Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees, saying the institution’s reported earnings indicate that economic growth is already taking place under the present government.
He made the remarks on Wednesday evening during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today.
The presidential aide was responding to criticism over Tinubu’s recent comment that Nigerians would begin to experience prosperity from October 1.
Bwala argued that the President’s statement had been wrongly interpreted by some of his critics. He explained that Tinubu was not suggesting that Nigerians would suddenly become prosperous on October 1, but was highlighting the impact of policies and initiatives that were already producing results.
According to him, anyone who watched the President’s address carefully would understand that the reference to October 1 was not an indication that prosperity would only begin from that particular date.
He accused some members of the opposition of deliberately twisting the President’s remarks to suit their political arguments.
Bwala pointed to the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) as one of the programmes he believes demonstrates the administration’s efforts to improve the welfare of citizens.
He stated that approximately one million families have had their children benefit from the education financing scheme, noting that many of them may otherwise have struggled to raise the money required for their children’s education.
The presidential adviser also mentioned infrastructure projects as another example of what he described as prosperity. He explained that when government provides roads and other facilities in communities that previously lacked them, residents benefit from those developments.
He stressed that such improvements did not commence on October 1, arguing that they had been introduced progressively through different government programmes.
Bwala also referred to Peter Obi’s connection with the commercial bank, urging Nigerians to examine the financial figures released by the institution.
He maintained that the bank’s profit for the previous financial year was evidence that businesses could still expand and generate returns despite the economic challenges facing the country.
The Tinubu aide subsequently mentioned Atiku Abubakar and Rotimi Amaechi, challenging both opposition politicians to provide an honest account of the performance of their private enterprises over the past two years.
Bwala argued that if the duo assessed their businesses objectively, they would acknowledge that they had recorded some level of growth or financial returns during the period.
His remarks were aimed at defending the Tinubu administration against criticisms over its economic policies and its assertion that Nigerians are gradually beginning to benefit from the government’s reforms.
