Tinubu flooding Nigeria with rice -Daniel Bwala

Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser on Policy Communications to President Bola Tinubu, has credited the administration’s policy measures for boosting rice availability and enhancing healthcare services across the country.

Speaking during an interview with DW Africa, Bwala expressed optimism about public support for the Tinubu government as it gears up for the 2027 general elections.

He noted that the current leadership has taken significant steps to ensure that basic food items like rice — a staple in Nigerian homes — are no longer scarce or out of reach for citizens at any socioeconomic level.

“We also have a rice policy that has made rice available to Nigerians across all levels,” Bwala said.

Highlighting achievements in healthcare delivery, he stated that the administration has prioritized maternal health and local access to medications.

“We also provided dispensaries, for example, free caesarean section for mothers who are having trouble giving birth.

“There are subsidies also on certain prescription drugs for the people at the local level. And people are able to access that.

“We’ve been able to register, I think, close to 10 million Nigerians in the national healthcare,” he added.

Bwala also defended President Tinubu’s medical fitness amid concerns over his health, asserting that he compares favourably to global counterparts.

“In fact, the president of Nigeria physically is fitter than most presidents in the advanced countries.”

On political developments ahead of 2027, the presidential aide said that recent endorsements for President Tinubu align with the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s internal evaluation protocols.

“It’s a procedure or a process with our party that there will be mid-term assessment.

“So, it’s not President Bola. Whoever is the president at the time, after every mid-term, we will assess and see whether the president has performed to a point where we would entrust the person to continue.

“We have measured that he has performed wonderfully well,” Bwala said.
He stressed that the government is entering the next election cycle with strong backing from the electorate.

“And so we are absolutely confident ahead of 2027 that we have the support of our people,” he said, pointing to key milestones in various sectors.

Among other reforms, he cited enhanced local governance and security initiatives as examples of democratic deepening.

“Deepening democracy is one, which is the introduction of local government autonomy.

“Autonomy that gives the local government chairmen or administrators the enormous resources.
“State governments now are able to recruit vigilantes.

“They are able to buy vehicles and equipment that is necessary for surveillance and intelligence gathering, and then law enforcement.”