Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, has claimed that former Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate Peter Obi attempted to recruit his support through former President Olusegun Obasanjo following the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary.
Bwala made the revelation on The Clarity Zone podcast while responding to remarks allegedly made by Obi, in which the former Anambra State governor reportedly referred to him as a “character.” Rather than taking offense, Bwala embraced the label, suggesting it more aptly described Obi himself.
“Are you not a character? In a movie, an actor is a character, isn’t he? He is actually the character‑in‑chief,” Bwala said.
He accused Obi of engaging in what he called political theatrics, selling an attractive but unrealistic narrative. “What he’s playing is theatrics. He presented a picture of reality that could never exist. That’s the hope he sold to his people,” Bwala added.
According to him, Obi’s supporters became disillusioned after the 2023 election loss, struggling to reconcile the collapse of the idealized image created during the campaign. “After the election, when reality dawned, they couldn’t handle the fantasy they had been sold. Some went berserk, attacking critics across social media,” he said, describing the online behavior of certain supporters.
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Bwala insisted his critiques were not personal attacks but based on facts regarding Obi’s tenure as governor. He accused Obi of prioritizing state savings over infrastructure, citing doctors’ strikes caused by poor funding and working conditions. “He was all about saving money rather than investing in infrastructure. The money he saved was even deposited in a bank where he served as chairman,” he alleged, adding that Obi avoided answering questions about his role in the bank or any benefits from dividends.
Responding to claims that he had never visited Anambra State, Bwala dismissed them, saying he is familiar with the state and its communities.
On the allegation that Obi reached out to him through Obasanjo, Bwala said the contact occurred while he was abroad. “The day former President Olusegun Obasanjo called me, I was in London about to enter the tube station. He was at Transcorp Hilton with Peter Obi and Datti, calling me to work with him,” he said, noting that the communication was facilitated by an ambassador.
Bwala reiterated that he was unfazed by being called a “character,” emphasizing that the substantive issues he raised warranted answers rather than personal attacks.
