Akin Osuntokun, a former presidential spokesman, has criticised Atiku Abubakar’s decision to repeatedly refer to President Bola Tinubu as “Bola” during his Independence Day address.
Osuntokun made his position known in a statement on Thursday, saying Atiku had every right to challenge Tinubu’s policies and performance but should have shown greater regard for the institution of the presidency.
The former Director-General of Peter Obi’s 2023 presidential campaign said the use of Tinubu’s first name was not necessary to make Atiku’s political arguments more forceful.
He described the language as disrespectful and said it was particularly inappropriate in a national address.
Osuntokun maintained that Tinubu was the elected President and therefore entitled to the privileges associated with the office.
He noted that Atiku himself had contested for the presidency and therefore understood the importance attached to occupying the country’s highest elected office.
According to Osuntokun, those who oppose Tinubu have legitimate democratic and constitutional means of seeking a change in leadership.
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He cited elections and constitutional impeachment procedures as examples of the processes through which political opponents can seek to remove a president from office.
The former presidential spokesman clarified that his comments did not amount to an endorsement of Tinubu’s administration.
He said the issue was about maintaining standards of public conduct and ensuring that political disagreements did not undermine respect for public institutions.
Osuntokun also argued that anyone seeking Nigerians’ mandate to become president should demonstrate respect for the office, including when it is occupied by a political rival.
He illustrated his point by asking how Nigerians would react if a former vice president repeatedly referred to a sitting president only by his first name during a national broadcast.
Osuntokun concluded that Atiku’s choice of words raised concerns for him about the judgment and temperament he might bring to the presidency if elected.
