By Phrank Shaibu, senior special assistant on public communication to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, has defended Atiku’s habit of addressing President Bola Tinubu by his first name, rejecting criticism of the practice outright.
Shaibu, who also serves as director of strategic communication for the African Democratic Congress, made the comments Saturday on Mic On Podcast with Seun Okinbaloye.
“That is his name”
Shaibu’s argument rested on a simple premise: Bola is the president’s name, and there’s nothing disrespectful about using it. “Those who say that, I think it smacks of wretched illiteracy for anybody to contemplate the issue of disrespect as it relates to addressing Bola by his name,” he said. “That is his name. He has no other name. His name is Bola and he should be called Bola.” He added a pointed jab about the president’s fuller identity, saying, “We have asked him before, what is the prefix before Bola. But he has never told us the complete name. Maybe that is why it’s been queried.”
Shaibu tied the naming dispute to a broader critique of Tinubu’s economic record, arguing the controversy over how Atiku addresses the president pales next to the hardship Nigerians have faced. “That is his name. A man who does not care and has inflicted pain on over 200 million Nigerians should be addressed by his name. What other name do you want us to call him?” he said.
Where the dispute started
Atiku has drawn criticism from the presidency and other political figures in recent weeks over his repeated use of “Bola” in public remarks. In September, he urged the president to use the remainder of the year to ease economic pressure on citizens, saying, “Bola, I want you to use those eight months to give Nigerians relief.”
The comment was part of a broader critique of the Tinubu administration’s removal of fuel subsidy, which Atiku has blamed for rising transportation, food, logistics and energy costs since the policy took effect in May 2023.
Pushback from Tinubu allies
The response from the president’s camp was swift and sharp. Sunday Dare, special adviser to Tinubu on media and public communication, called Atiku’s approach “the height of insolence” in a September 19 post on X, writing, “Alhaji Atiku’s manner of addressing President Bola Tinubu as Bola is the height of insolence. It is a clear descent into the abyss of unbridled desperation and an unraveling mind.”
Aviation and Aerospace Development Minister Festus Keyamo also weighed in, describing the practice as “disrespectful and discourteous” and arguing that Atiku should respect the dignity of the presidential office regardless of political differences. Akin Osuntokun, a former presidential spokesman and director-general of Peter Obi’s 2023 presidential campaign, offered a similar rebuke, calling Atiku’s approach “unmistakable rudeness.” Osuntokun maintained that Atiku was entitled to criticise Tinubu and his government, but argued he should do so without disrespecting the office itself.
