The Presidency has strongly refuted claims by the former National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Ralph Nwosu, that he was offered three ministerial appointments to withdraw his party from a proposed alliance with the opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 elections.
In a direct response posted on his verified X account Wednesday night, Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Policy Communication, dismissed Nwosu’s assertions as fabricated and lacking any element of truth.
“From his words as reported, you know that he lied,” Bwala wrote, referencing Nwosu’s claim that senior government officials approached him with a proposition involving multiple ministerial slots, allegedly to convince him to abandon the opposition’s plan to form a unified political front.
Bwala outlined three primary points to debunk the allegations. First, he emphasized that only the President holds the constitutional authority to appoint ministers. “No government official(s) of whatever rank in our government can promise or grant ministerial slots but Mr President,” he stated. He suggested that if such an offer had genuinely been made, it would have had to come directly from President Tinubu himself, not from any intermediaries.
Secondly, Bwala questioned the credibility of Nwosu’s accusation due to the absence of names. “The same courage he mustered saying he was promised slots by the officials could have been used in mentioning their names and positions in this government,” he said, highlighting the importance of transparency when making such serious allegations.
In his final point, the presidential aide criticized the opposition’s attempts at forming a coalition, describing the effort as unserious and lacking structure. With scornful rhetoric, he remarked, “They are painfully graduating to association of jesters or Association of Disorganised Characters.”
The dismissal comes as Nigeria’s political space heats up in the buildup to the 2027 general elections, with opposition parties exploring ways to merge forces and present a formidable challenge to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Nwosu, having recently stepped down as ADC chairman after two decades, has remained a vocal figure in opposition discussions, pushing for a coalition capable of confronting the APC’s dominance.
His claims of backdoor offers have stirred conversations among political observers, but the Presidency’s swift and categorical denial appears aimed at neutralizing any credibility the claims may have gained.
What You Should Know
Ralph Nwosu’s allegation that Tinubu’s administration offered him three ministerial slots to sabotage the proposed opposition coalition has been firmly denied by the Presidency.
Presidential aide Daniel Bwala labeled the claims as fiction and emphasized that only the President can offer ministerial appointments.
He challenged Nwosu to name those allegedly involved and ridiculed the opposition’s coordination efforts. The controversy highlights the deepening political maneuvering as Nigeria inches closer to the 2027 elections.
