Phrank Shaibu, a senior aide to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, has defended his principal’s decision to address President Bola Tinubu by his first name, dismissing claims that the practice amounts to disrespecting the nation’s highest office.
Shaibu, who serves as Atiku’s senior special assistant on public communication and the director of strategic communication for the African Democratic Congress (ADC), made the remarks during an appearance on the Mic On Podcast hosted by Seun Okinbaloye on Saturday.
He argued that Bola is the name by which Tinubu is commonly known and questioned why Atiku should face criticism for using it when referring to the president.
According to Shaibu, describing the former vice-president’s choice of words as disrespectful reflects what he called “wretched illiteracy”.
“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,” Shaibu said.
He maintained that Tinubu should be addressed by his first name, adding that questions surrounding the president’s full name had contributed to the controversy.
“That is his name. He has no other name. His name is Bola and he should be called Bola.
“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,” he added.
Shaibu further argued that Tinubu’s administration had imposed significant hardship on Nigerians, insisting that the president’s position should not prevent people from addressing him by his name.
“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 asked.
Presidency Accuses Atiku of Disrespecting Tinubu
The controversy follows repeated criticism of Atiku by members of the presidency over his habit of addressing Tinubu simply as Bola during public appearances and press conferences in Abuja.
In September, the former vice-president called on the president to use the remaining months of the year to ease the economic pressure on Nigerians.
“Bola, I want you to use those eight months to give Nigerians relief,” Atiku said.
His remarks came during criticism of the Tinubu administration’s removal of the petrol subsidy, a policy implemented in May 2023 that Atiku has linked to rising transportation, food, logistics and energy costs across the country.
However, Sunday Dare, Tinubu’s special adviser on media and public communication, condemned Atiku’s manner of addressing the president, describing it as “the height of insolence”.
In a post on X on September 19, Dare accused the former vice-president of allowing political desperation to influence his conduct.
“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,” Dare wrote.
Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, also criticised Atiku’s use of the president’s first name, describing it as “disrespectful and discourteous”.
Keyamo argued that Atiku should recognise the dignity attached to the office of the president, regardless of political disagreements or differences over government policies.
Former Peter Obi Campaign Director Joins Criticism
Akin Osuntokun, a former presidential spokesman and director-general of Peter Obi’s 2023 presidential campaign, also faulted Atiku’s approach.
Osuntokun described the former vice-president’s manner of addressing Tinubu as “unmistakable rudeness”.
Although he acknowledged Atiku’s right to criticise the president and his administration, he argued that the way the former vice-president referred to Tinubu was disrespectful to the office he occupies.
The disagreement has highlighted the growing political tension surrounding Atiku’s criticism of Tinubu’s economic policies, with the former vice-president’s supporters defending his remarks while allies of the president insist that the office deserves greater respect.
