Presidential spokesman Daniel Bwala has taken a swipe at Arise Television anchor Rufai Oseni, accusing him of acting as an unofficial spokesman for the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi.
Bwala made the remarks in a post on X on Monday, where he questioned Oseni’s neutrality and challenged him to openly identify with Obi’s political movement.
The presidential aide alleged that the broadcaster’s recent interview with Obi, during which he questioned the former Anambra State governor on policy matters including electricity generation, was an attempt to disguise his political support.
The controversy follows Obi’s emergence as the NDC presidential candidate during the party’s national convention in Abuja on Saturday.
In his acceptance speech, Obi pledged to increase Nigeria’s electricity generation and distribution capacity to at least 10,000 megawatts (MW) within four years if elected president in 2027.
Reacting to the development, Bwala argued that Oseni’s public questioning of Obi should not be mistaken for neutrality.
“That anchor thinks he is deceiving us by saying he challenges @PeterObi on his plans to generate power as if he is not the unofficial spokesman of Peter Obi,” Bwala wrote.
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He further challenged the television presenter to take a leave of absence or sabbatical from Arise Television and formally join Obi’s campaign if he truly believes in the politician’s vision.
“Be courageous and bold and be a man by taking a leave of absence and or sabbatical from Arise News and join Peter Obi’s campaign and test his capacity,” he added.
The comments are the latest in a series of exchanges involving political actors and media personalities ahead of the 2027 general election, as political parties intensify campaigns and public engagement following the emergence of their candidates.
Oseni has not publicly responded to Bwala’s remarks as of the time of filing this report.
The exchange underscores the increasingly heated political atmosphere as contenders and their supporters position themselves for what is expected to be a fiercely contested presidential race in 2027.