“Referring To President Tinubu as ‘Bola’ Is ‘Disrespectful, An Affront To The Office Of The President”  Osuntokun Slams Atiku

By Akinwale Kasali

Akin Osuntokun, a former Presidential spokesman and Director-General of Peter Obi’s Presidential Campaign in the 2023 election, has slammed the Presidential Candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Atiku Abubakar, for repeatedly referring to President Bola Tinubu as “Bola” in his October 1 statement.

Osuntokun in a statement lashed Atiku for addressing President Tinubu as ‘Bola’, stressing that though Atiku was entitled to criticise Tinubu and his administration, but the manner of addressing the President was disrespectful and amounted to an affront to the office of the President.

He said his long-standing cordial relationship with Atiku had made him reluctant to criticise him harshly since the end of the Olusegun Obasanjo administration in 2007.

“Abubakar is entitled to criticise the President however sharply. What I found objectionable was his repeated decision to call him ‘Bola’.

“That was not a more forceful argument; it was a needless display of disrespect.

“This is not acceptable. It is primarily an insult to Nigeria on whose account he occupies that office,” Osuntokun said.

Speaking further, he noted that Tinubu was the elected President of Nigeria and occupied the same office Abubakar seeks to attain, adding that those opposed to the President had legitimate constitutional and democratic means of seeking his removal.

“Those who believe he is unfit for it have legitimate ways to pursue his removal: impeachment or defeat at the ballot box. Until then, Tinubu is entitled to the privileges of his office,” he said.

He however stressed that his position was not a call for deference to Tinubu’s policies or personality, but for decorum in public discourse and respect for the institution of the presidency.

He said anyone seeking Nigerians’ mandate to occupy the presidency should demonstrate respect for the office, including when an opponent occupies it.

“Imagine a former Vice President referring throughout a national address to a sitting President as ‘Segun’ or ‘Muhammadu’. The rudeness would be unmistakable,” he said.

Osuntokun said.