The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, has criticised former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar for repeatedly referring to the President as “Bola”.
Dare described Atiku’s manner of addressing the President as “the height of insolence”, following comments made by the former Vice-President at a press conference in Abuja on Friday.
Atiku had called on the Tinubu administration to consider government intervention to reduce the price of petrol, saying the President could adopt and rename his proposal if necessary.
According to Atiku, the priority should be ensuring that Nigerians pay less for petrol, rather than who receives credit for the policy.
Reacting in a statement on Saturday, Dare said Atiku’s decision to address the sitting President by his first name while offering instructions on governance was inappropriate.
«“Alhaji Atiku’s manner of addressing President Bola Tinubu as Bola is the height of insolence,” Dare said.»
He accused the former Vice-President of displaying what he described as “political hubris” by attempting to dictate how the Federal Government should run its affairs.
Dare also rejected Atiku’s criticism of the administration’s economic policies, arguing that the Tinubu government was implementing reforms aimed at restructuring the Nigerian economy.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is doing the heavy, foundational lifting required to restructure an economy crippled by decades of structural inertia and subsidy hemorrhaging,” he said.
The presidential aide further questioned Atiku’s proposal for government intervention in petrol pricing, describing it as an attempt to gain political advantage from the economic difficulties facing Nigerians.
Dare alleged that Atiku’s call for intervention was politically motivated and aimed at gaining electoral mileage ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The exchange comes a day after the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, also criticised Atiku over his reference to Tinubu as “Bola”.
Keyamo described the reference as disrespectful and discourteous, arguing that the office of the President should be accorded dignity despite political disagreements.
Atiku, who is the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, has continued to position himself ahead of the 2027 presidential election, while Tinubu is expected to seek a second term on the platform of the All Progressives Congress.
The latest disagreement between the two political figures centres on petrol pricing, economic management and the appropriate approach to addressing the rising cost of living in Nigeria.
