Daniel Bwala, the Special Adviser on Media and Policy Communication to President Bola Tinubu, has shed light on the root cause of his soured relationship with Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, who represents Borno South in the Senate.
During a recent appearance on Sunday Politics, aired by Channels Television, Bwala opened up about how his once-friendly ties with Ndume took a downward turn following a key political development in 2024.
According to Bwala, the fallout began shortly after he held a meeting with President Tinubu—a moment that significantly altered the dynamics of his relationship with the senator.
“Ali Ndume and I were wonderful,” Bwala said. “When former Senate President Saraki was dealing with him, Ali Ndume came to me for help, and I played my part in supporting him because he is a Senator from my district.”
He revealed that their camaraderie extended to the period when Ndume was eyeing the Senate presidency. According to Bwala, Ndume made efforts to enlist his support.
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“When he wanted to become Senate President, Ndume sent somebody to come and speak with me—that he wanted to come and see me. Honourable Kumalia is alive [to confirm this]. I said no problem. He came to my chambers and sat for two hours waiting for me. That is how our relationship was,” Bwala narrated.
However, Bwala said things took a different turn after he met with the President on January 10, 2024. He claimed that was the moment Ndume became uncomfortable with his proximity to the seat of power.
“There is no record anywhere that I have ever had an issue with Ali Ndume until January 10, 2024, when I met with Mr President, and everything changed,” Bwala explained.
He alleged that Ndume began spreading false narratives about a supposed plot to replace him as Senator for Southern Borno District of Borno State.
“He started going about telling people that they wanted to replace him with me in Southern Borno because he could not get access to see the President,” Bwala stated. “He would go to media houses to speak about me. We would hold meetings and the rest.”