By Abdul Hassan
The Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, has disclosed that the President made efforts to reach out to his main political rival, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, immediately after taking office but were turned back at the gate.
However, according to Bwala, those initial overtures were met with a firm rebuff.
Bwala made the disclosure during an interview with Symfoni TV, in which he detailed an event that occurred shortly after President Tinubu was sworn into office.
The revelation sheds light on the post-election dynamics following the fiercely contested 2023 presidential poll.
He claimed that emissaries representing the new President approached the residence of the former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate but were allegedly turned away.
“When President Tinubu took the oath at the time I was with Atiku,” Bwala stated.
“I can tell you this because I was closer to Atiku, men from President Tinubu approached Atiku.
“Emissaries went to meet Atiku, when they came to the gate of Atiku, he ordered that the gate should not be opened to them. So Tinubu has made the effort”.
The presidential aide, who currently serves as a key spokesman for the Tinubu administration, insisted he has firsthand knowledge of the situation because he was still working closely with the former Vice President during that period.
Bwala noted that the move was aimed at opening channels of communication between the nation’s number one citizen and the opposition leader, amidst the tension that followed the election.
Bwala’s political trajectory adds a unique layer of credibility, and complexity, to his claims.
He served as a prominent spokesperson for the Atiku Abubakar presidential campaign during the 2023 election cycle.
However, following the election, Bwala dramatically switched allegiance and was appointed by President Tinubu as his Special Adviser on Policy Communication in November 2024.
His defection has been a source of tension between the two political camps.
The Atiku Media Office has previously labeled Bwala a “political turncoat”, while Bwala has consistently praised President Tinubu’s tolerance and leadership style compared to his former principal’s camp.
As of press time, Atiku Abubakar’s camp has not issued an official statement confirming or denying the specific “gate incident” as narrated by Bwala.
However, aides to the former Vice President have recently dismissed Bwala’s assertions as “opportunistic merchandising of allegiance”.
These remarks come as Nigeria’s political landscape intensifies ahead of the 2027 general elections.
While President Tinubu enjoys widespread endorsement from his All Progressives Congress (APC) with the party adopting him as its sole candidate, the opposition is in disarray over a stalled coalition.
Recent reports indicate that the proposed grand coalition deal involving former presidential candidates Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso collapsed in early May 2026, suffering “a major blow” as key leaders abandoned the alliance over a dispute regarding the presidential ticket.
Furthermore, relations between the two political giants remain strained.
Just a day before Bwala’s recent revelation, Atiku Abubakar was actively criticizing the Tinubu administration over the handling of the NNPC refinery deal, describing a specific contract arrangement as “another expensive black hole of failed promises”.
Despite the denial of access alleged by Bwala, the presidential aide insists that his principal has demonstrated a willingness to unite the country.
“So Tinubu has made the effort,” Bwala reiterated.
