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Why Bwala was demoted as Tinubu’s spokesperson

Published

1 month ago

November 20, 2024

Daniel Bwala had barely announced himself as the new presidential spokesman when Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the president on information and strategy, issued a statement saying there was no “presidential spokesman” in that sense.

To boot, Onanuga announced the re-designation of Bwala as special adviser on policy communication to the president — a position that means the latest addition to President Bola Tinubu’s media team will now operate away from the presidential villa.

It all happened in a day’s job — on Monday, November 18.

Bwala was announced as the special adviser to media and public communication on November 14, leading to speculation about who would lead the president’s information management team.

Onanuga had been doing the job, issuing statements and making pronouncements on behalf of the president since the exit of Ngelale Ajuri, who was special adviser on media and publicity, in September.

However, after a meeting of members of the media team at the office of the spokesman at the presidential villa on Monday, there was a reluctance on the part of Bwala to depart.

“It appeared he wanted to start using the office immediately. Incidentally, Onanuga, who moved into the office only recently, is currently with the president in Brazil for the G20 meeting, so it seemed Bwala wanted to take it over in his absence,” an insider told TheCable.

Another insider added that shortly after, Bwala moved into the press briefing room to address State House correspondents — to the shock of everyone.

“There is no issue as to the differences in terms of the responsibility; everybody knows his responsibility,” he told the media when asked what he would be doing.

“I only came to introduce myself to you and the role that was given to me by Mr. President. I told you that role was once occupied by Ajuri Ngelale.

“When Ajuri was there, the nomenclature was special adviser on media and publicity, and now that role is called special adviser on media and public communications (State House). Sunday Dare works from the office of the minister of information.”

He also posted on X: “Today, I resumed officially as the Special Adviser, Media and Public Communications/Spokesperson (State House). ”

“Spokesperson” was not part of his designation when it was announced four days earlier.

‘TINUBU WAS FURIOUS’

In faraway Brazil, Tinubu was said to have been furious on learning of Bwala’s manoeuvre and immediately instructed Onanuga to issue a clarification.

In his statement, Onanuga wrote: “President Bola Tinubu has re-designated the positions of two recently appointed officials in the State House media and communications team to enhance efficiency within the government’s communication machinery.

“The restructuring is as follows: Mr. Sunday Dare – hitherto Special Adviser on Public Communication and National Orientation, is now Special Adviser, Media and Public Communications.

“Mr. Daniel Bwala – announced last week as Special Adviser, Media and Public Communication, is now Special Adviser Policy Communication.

“These appointments, along with the existing role of Special Adviser, Information and Strategy, underscore that there is no single individual spokesperson for the Presidency. Instead, all the three Special Advisers will collectively serve as spokespersons for the government.”

A CASE OF ‘FAILED COUP’

Tinubu had assembled a very large media team — the biggest in Nigeria’s history — and this might have led to the game of intrigues from the day he assumed office.

Dele Alake, commissioner of information and strategy in Lagos state from 1999-2007 when Tinubu was governor, had been positioned to be special adviser on media, strategy and special duties to the president.

It seemed a done deal until Seyi Tinubu, whom insiders say plays a major role in appointments made by his father, decided to torpedo it.

“Seyi brought Ajuri. After the appointment, he asked Ajuri to assert himself from the get-go and that was what Ajuri did. That gave him unfettered access to the president. Other members of the team did not have that access,” another insider told TheCable.

“When Ajuri fell out of favour, Seyi started working on bringing Bwala to replace him. He believes a presidential spokesman should be very vocal and should be on TV every day attacking the president’s critics, so Bwala fitted the bill for him.

“When Bwala’s appointment was announced, Seyi also told him to adopt the same Ajuri strategy: go on the podium, declare yourself spokesman and take over the office.”

Bwala tried the script. It worked for less than 24 hours.

All indications are now that he would be speaking for the office of special adviser to the president on policy coordination, headed by Hadiza Bala Usman, rather than the president.

Credit: TheCable

News

‘Putin waiting to meet me as soon as possible’ to end Ukraine war – Trump

Published

44 minutes ago

December 23, 2024

Naijablitznews

The US President-elect took to the stage AmFest in Phoenix to talk about his contact with the Russian leader.

He told the crowd: “President Putin has said he want to meet with me as soon as possible.”

Trump went on to brand the war “horrible” and stated it needed to end. It is not known whether or not this meeting will take place in person. His comments at the event in the US come as Putin met with another world leader.

Putin held talks in the Kremlin today (December 22) with Slovakia’s prime minister, Robert Fico, in a rare visit to Moscow by an EU leader since Russia’s all-out invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Fico arrived in Russia on a “working visit” and met with Putin one-on-one. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russia’s RIA agency that the talks would focus on “the international situation” and Russian natural gas deliveries.

Visits and phone calls from European leaders to Putin have been rare since Moscow sent troops into Ukraine, although Hungary’s PM Viktor Orban visited Russia in July. Orban’s visit drew condemnation from Kyiv and European leaders.Fico’s views on Russia’s war on Ukraine differ sharply from most other European leaders. The Slovakian PM returned to power last year after his leftist party Smer (Direction) won parliamentary elections on a pro-Russia and anti-American platform. Since then, he has ended his country’s military aid for Ukraine, hit out at EU sanctions on Russia, and vowed to block Ukraine from joining NATO.

News

JUST IN: Speed Darlington Granted Bail, Says Lawyer

Published

47 minutes ago

December 23, 2024

Naijablitznews

Stanley Alieke, the counsel for popular controversial rapper, Darlington Achakpo, aka Speed Darlington, said the singer has been granted bail after nearly a month in police custody.

Alieke disclosed this on his Instagram handle on Monday.

“Apki has been granted bail by the court,” he wrote without including much information.

The rapper was arrested on November 27 while performing at a show in Owerri, Imo State.

His arrest was connected to an alleged abuse of Afrofusion star, Damini Ogulu popularly known as Burna Boy.

Darlington’s counsel, Deji Adeyanju also confirmed that Burna Boy was responsible for his arrest.

Darlington had taunted Burna Boy over his affiliation with the embattled United States rapper Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs who is facing multiple charges for sexual exploitation and human trafficking.

This prompted his first arrest. On his arrival, Speed Darlington swore never to back down on calling out the Grammy award winner because of his association with the embattled Diddy.

Earlier, Darlington’s lawyer, Adeyanju said that the singer would be arraigned within 48 hours or be released on bail.

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“Our FREP application for Speed Darlington a.k.a has been granted by the court. He is to be arraigned within 48 hours or released. Issues around injustice may take time but justice will always prevail,” he wrote.

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Police Arrest Herbalist, 3 Others For Beheading Delta Resident, Dump Him In River

Published

50 minutes ago

December 23, 2024

Naijablitznews

Operatives of the Delta State Police Command have arrested no fewer than four suspects for allegedly killing a man identified as Paulinus Okon over N30million business deal in Delta State.

It was learnt that the deceased was earlier declared missing and was later beheaded on the 8th of September 2024 at Otokutu area of the state.

Paulinus’ body was said to have been thrown into the river, while one of the suspects, a herbalist, took the head and buried it at his shrine in Otokutu.

The state Commissioner of Police, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda during a press briefing on Monday, identified the suspects as Okeimute Gaga, Efe Onoitiyi, Sunday Ikpeba, and a 30yrs old herbalist known as Lawrence Joseph.

The statement reads in part; “It involves the murder of one Paulinus Okon ‘m’ by his bosom friend One Efe Onoetiyi. Paulinus was reported missing on 8/9/2024 by his brother after he went out with his friend Efe Onoitiyi ‘m’ age 30yrs.

“The suspect Efe Onoitiyi who initially denied knowing what happened to Paulinus came to Paulinus’s house to ask his family of Paulinus, he was confronted that the deceased went out with him on that same date which he denied that the deceased did not go out with him.

“On a later date, Efe came back and demanded Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N500,000) from the deceased’s brother that he would use the money to pay a herbalist who can tell them Paulinus’s whereabouts.

“Efe again came and informed the family that Paulinus was kidnapped and he collected a ransom of about twenty million, seven hundred and fifteen thousand naira (N20,715,000) from the deceased brother claiming that he was in touch with the kidnappers. When it became obvious that Efe had something to hide, he was arrested and the case was transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) State Headquarters, Asaba.

“On 28th November 2024, I directed the DPO Ekpan to take over the case and ensure that a discrete investigation is carried out to fish out those responsible as the main suspect Efe was not yielding.

“The DPO Ekpan carried out an intelligence led investigation that indicted one Okeimute Gaga ‘m’ aged 48yrs old. Okeimute gaga upon his arrest opened up and confessed that he could no longer hide what happened. Okeimute Gaga narrated how Efe brought Paulinus to Orere River in Otokutu and requested that they kill him.

“The suspect further stated that on the 8th of September 2024 himself, Efe and Sunday Ikpeba, and a 30yrs old herbalist known as Lawrence Joseph tied Paulinus Okon to a stake at night close to Orere River and beheaded him alive. His body was thrown into the river while the herbalist took the head of Paulinus and buried him at his shrine in Otokutu. The DPO Ekpan Police station led police operatives to the shrine in Otokutu where the skull of Paulinus was exhumed and recovered.

“During interrogation, Efe was asked why he killed his friend Paulinus, Efe stated that he saw a building for sale at a cost of thirty million naira (N30,000,000) which he advertised to the deceased and the deceased paid him Thirty Million Naira (N30,000,000) in three instalments, but instead of buying the house, he diverted the money for his personal use, bought two lands and was building a duplex for himself.

“He further stated that he did not know how to explain to the deceased that he had used his money hence he decided that killing him will save him the trouble. Efe and the three other suspects are in custody.”