Presidential aide slams Atiku for calling Tinubu ‘Bola’

Sunday Dare, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Public Communication, has vehemently rebuked former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar for repeatedly addressing the President as "Bola". In a statement on Saturday, Dare deemed the address "the height of insolence" and described Atiku's behaviour as "political hubris".

Atiku had made the remarks during a press conference in Abuja on Friday, urging Tinubu to support his proposal for government intervention to lower petrol prices, stating that the President could take credit for it if it would alleviate the financial burden on Nigerians. Dare emphasized that addressing a sitting President by his first name while dictating government operations was an act of unbridled desperation and disrespect.

He also criticized Atiku's economic advice, stating that the former Vice-President was not qualified to lecture the current administration on fiscal management. Dare defended the Tinubu administration's economic policies, highlighting the President's efforts to restructure a crippled economy. The remarks were made in response to Atiku's press conference, where he called Tinubu "Bola" and advocated for government intervention to reduce petrol prices.

Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, had previously criticized Atiku for the disrespectful address, stating that the office of the President deserves dignity regardless of political differences. Atiku, a candidate for the 2027 presidential election, and Tinubu, expected to run for a second term on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, are currently positioning themselves for the upcoming election.