Peter Obi Contacted Obasanjo To Persuade Me To Join His 2023 Presidential Campaign, Says Bwala

Daniel Bwala, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, has sparked a fresh political debate by claiming that Peter Obi once sought his services through former President Olusegun Obasanjo. According to Bwala, the outreach occurred following the APC presidential primary, while he was in London. He alleged that Obasanjo called him from the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja, where he was reportedly sitting with Obi and his running mate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, to convince Bwala to join their campaign team.

The presidential aide made these assertions during an appearance on The Clarity Zone podcast, where he also addressed being labeled a “character” by the former Labour Party candidate. Unfazed by the description, Bwala fired back by calling Obi the “character-in-chief,” dismissing the former governor’s public persona as a series of political “theatrics.” He argued that Obi’s campaign sold a “fictitious picture of a reality that will never exist,” which he believes led to the eventual disillusionment of his supporters.

Bwala further alleged that the “fantasy” surrounding the Obi candidacy caused his followers to “run berserk” on social media once the election results were finalized. He accused the movement’s supporters of roaming various platforms to abuse critics, claiming they lacked a central space for civil discourse. These remarks emphasize Bwala’s view that the movement was built more on emotional projections than on sustainable political foundations.

Turning his focus to Obi’s governance record in Anambra State, Bwala insisted his criticisms were rooted in “verifiable facts.” He revisited long-standing allegations regarding the former governor’s priorities, claiming that Obi focused on saving state funds at the expense of critical infrastructure. Bwala specifically highlighted strikes by medical doctors during that tenure, which he attributed to poor funding and inadequate working conditions.

One of the most pointed accusations involved the state’s financial deposits, with Bwala alleging that the money Obi saved was kept in a bank where he served as chairman. He claimed that Obi has consistently “ran away from answering” whether he personally benefited from dividends arising from those state deposits. By raising these issues, Bwala positioned his commentary as a substantive critique of public policy rather than a personal vendetta.

Bwala also dismissed Obi’s alleged claim that the presidential aide was unfamiliar with Anambra State. In a show of local knowledge, Bwala asserted he could describe the very road leading to Obi’s house, naming several communities in the South-East to support his familiarity with the region. He maintained that his insights into Obi’s administrative style are based on an informed perspective of the area’s political history.

Concluding the interview, Bwala stood by his claims regarding the Obasanjo phone call, even offering to name an ambassador who allegedly facilitated the communication. “I’m calling names,” he stated, emphasizing that his account is populated by real-world figures rather than “spirits and angels.” He reiterated that the Nigerian public deserves answers to the substantive questions he raised, rather than the name-calling he perceives from the opposition