Senator representing Borno-South senatorial district, Mohammed Ali Ndume, at the weekend called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to beware of Daniel Bwala, a former critic of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and other political liabilities who masquerade as supporters.
Recall that Bwala had attacked Ndume on different fora after he (Ndume) granted an interview to a television programme, in which he expressed worry over the ‘increasing hunger and insecurity’ that have characterised the present administration.
Following the interview, APC’s National Working Committee stripped Ndume of his position as Majority Whip of the Senate. He was also removed as the vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation.
Bwala had tweeted on his X handle, last Friday, alleging that Ndume was planning to mobilise youths in his local government, Hawul, to attack him. Hawul is one of the constituencies of Senator Ndume.
Referring to Daniel Bwala, Ndume said he can only be a political liability to President Tinubu.
Bwala, a lawyer-turned-politician was a member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), but abruptly left the Party and declared support for President Tinubu.
However, in his reaction at the weekend, Ndume said it is unfortunate that Bwala claims to be an indigene of Hawul, but cannot even trace his actual roots, not to talk of the people in Hawul.
He said even in the interview he granted on the television programme, he did not accuse or insult President Tinubu, but only criticised some policies of the present administration which are ‘counterproductive’ to average Nigerians.
His words: ”Ordinarily, I do not want to join the issue, or wouldn’t have replied Bwala, who claim to be from Hawul local government area, which is part of my constituency.
”I can only describe Daniel Bwala as a failed lawyer and empty-drum noisemaker in Abuja. As I said, I did not want to respond, but because Bwala talked about threats that I am mobilising youths to attack him, which has security implications; and that is very sensitive. I believe Bwala’s strategy is how to get the attention and sympathy of Mr. President to give him Police cover, or perhaps a job.
“We have credible people in the Hawul local government area, and they know who Daniel Bwala is. In fact when I saw his message on X handle, I thought it was Inuwa Bwala, who was the former caretaker chairman of Hawul and a renowned journalist. I quickly drew his attention to it, which he said, he was not the one. Later, I was made to understand that it is Daniel Bwala, who has no political relevance as far as Southern-Borno is concerned. I replied to his post, and said: ‘if accusing and abusing me on Twitter or pages of newspapers would fetch him something from Tinubu to survive after being a failed lawyer in Abuja, I would be happy for him’.
“Bwala wants to portray the peace-loving youths as violent people. You can’t instigate Hawul people to go into political violence; because it is not in their character. All I can say is that Bwala is trying to get sympathy from Mr. President”.
