A fiery public dispute broke out on Monday between Arise Television anchor Oseni Rufai and Daniel Bwala, spokesperson to President Bola Tinubu, after rumors circulated that Rufai had been suspended from his broadcasting duties.
Rufai, returning to the Arise Morning Show following a short break, addressed the speculation directly during the live broadcast, linking it explicitly to Bwala. On air, he said, “Bwala wants one of my Meta glasses. I can give him one. A government official woke up this morning and claimed I was suspended. As always, I ask Bwala to provide my suspension letter. If he cannot, it exposes the government’s spokesperson as dishonest. President Tinubu, kindly instruct Bwala to produce this letter.”
Bwala quickly fired back via 𝕏 (formerly Twitter), mocking Rufai and referring to him as an “adult toddler.” He also took a jab at the anchor’s recently displayed Meta glasses, highlighting the incident in a tone of ridicule.
“My attention was drawn to a jibe by an adult toddler, @ruffydfire, claiming I visited their station when he was absent,” Bwala wrote. “First, congratulations on showing off your Meta glass, whether bought or borrowed during your break—or alleged suspension. My presence in Lagos was part of a larger media engagement, and perhaps you missed the opportunity for an interview due to your alleged suspension.”
Bwala further suggested that Rufai’s supposed suspension may have restricted his travel, making it impossible for him to participate in scheduled media activities. “During this period, you have been in Lagos. Maybe your alleged suspension included a travel ban, and your producer could have recalled you to attend my interview,” he added.
The exchange intensified when Bwala accused Rufai of indirectly insulting co-anchor Dr. Reuben Abati and issued a challenge for a face-to-face interview. “Rufai, you have a studio in Abuja. Fly in, and let’s borrow Prime Time from Charles for a man-to-man interview. I challenge the chairman to make this happen. I am waiting, fast, fast, fast!”
The online feud has drawn significant attention, highlighting tensions between media personalities and government officials while raising questions about transparency and accountability in public communications.
0 Comments