Al Jazeera Apologised Privately’ — Tinubu’s Aide Heads To Court

According to Ireporter Online, Bwala disclosed that he rejected the private apology and insisted that the broadcaster should make a public acknowledgment of what he described as an error in handling the interview.

The presidential aide made the disclosure during an appearance on The Morayo Show, where he stated that the matter had progressed to a legal battle currently before a court in England.

Bwala alleged that Al Jazeera admitted it should have informed him ahead of the interview that questions would focus on his past criticisms of President Tinubu, his political transition and issues surrounding his credibility.

“They apologised to me privately, but I asked them to put it on social media. They refused, saying it would affect their credibility,” Bwala was quoted as saying.

The controversy followed his March appearance on Al Jazeera’s Head to Head, hosted by Mehdi Hasan, where the presenter confronted him with previous statements, video clips and remarks attributed to him during his time as spokesperson for former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s presidential campaign.

During the interview, Hasan questioned Bwala over his past criticisms of Tinubu and his decision to later become a supporter and appointee of the President. Bwala, however, disputed several of the statements presented to him, repeatedly denying that he made some of the comments.

The interview later went viral on social media, sparking widespread reactions and renewed debate over Bwala’s political journey and public statements.

Speaking further, Bwala said he instructed his legal representatives in England to begin proceedings against Al Jazeera, alleging that the broadcaster’s handling of the interview violated professional and ethical standards.

He claimed the media organisation acknowledged that it should have notified him beforehand about the direction of questioning and expressed regret over failing to do so.

Bwala also alleged that the interview was edited in a way that removed important context from his responses, claiming that an opening exchange where he acknowledged making past criticisms of Tinubu was excluded from the final broadcast.

According to him, the removal of that section created the impression that he was denying his previous comments without explaining the circumstances surrounding them.

The presidential aide further stated that legal advisers in England viewed the matter as a possible case of defamation of character and that the lawsuit was awaiting determination by the court.

He added that consultations with media professionals had reinforced his belief that the interview was improperly handled, insisting that the legal action was aimed at seeking accountability over the broadcast.