Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, has alleged that Peter Obi, Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, reached out to former President Olusegun Obasanjo to convince him to join Obi’s campaign after the APC presidential primary.

Bwala made the claims in an interview with The Clarity Zone podcast, responding to reports that Obi described him as a “character.” He dismissed the remark as appropriate for Obi himself.

“Are you not a character? Are you a character? In a movie, the actor is a character, isn’t he? He is actually the character-in-chief,” Bwala said, referring to Obi.

Bwala accused Obi of engaging in political “theatrics,” suggesting that his promises to voters created unrealistic expectations. He said Obi’s supporters became disillusioned after the election and allegedly attacked critics on social media.

He also criticised Obi’s tenure as Governor of Anambra State, alleging that strikes by doctors were caused by poor funding and working conditions, and accusing Obi of prioritising saving money over infrastructure development. He further questioned whether Obi benefitted personally from state funds deposited in a bank he chaired.

Addressing claims that he had never visited Anambra State, Bwala insisted he was familiar with the area, naming several communities in Anambra and the South-East.

On the alleged outreach from Obi, Bwala said the communication came through Obasanjo while he was abroad.

“The day former President Olusegun Obasanjo, whom I never had contact with from Adam, called me, I was in London. I was about entering the tube station. He was in Transcorp Hilton with Peter Obi and Datti when the call was made for me to come and work with him,” Bwala said, adding that an ambassador facilitated the communication.

Bwala concluded by emphasizing that his claims are verifiable and substantive, not personal attacks, and that the issues he raised deserve answers rather than name-calling.