‘Bola is his name, President is his office’ — Paul Ibe defends Atiku
The African Democratic Congress, ADC, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has defended him over his decision to refer to President Bola Tinubu simply as “Bola.” In a post on his verified X handle on Friday, Atiku’s media aide, Paul Ibe, said there was no Nigerian law making it an offence for Atiku or any other person […] ‘Bola is his name, President is his office’ — Paul Ibe defends Atiku
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has defended his stance on referring to President Bola Tinubu simply as “Bola.” Atiku's media aide, Paul Ibe, clarified on social media that there is no Nigerian law prohibiting the use of a person's first name to address the President. When asked about criticism of Atiku's use of “Bola” in a recent Independence Day address, Ibe stated, "Bola is his name.
President is his office." He argued that under Section 36(12) of the Nigerian Constitution, an individual cannot be prosecuted for an offense unless the law prescribing the offense and punishment is written. Ibe challenged critics to identify the specific law mandating Nigerians to address Tinubu as “President,” “His Excellency,” or “Mr.
President.” Citing Section 39 of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of expression, Ibe noted that while people may disagree with Atiku's choice of words, they cannot be turned into an offense. "People may debate Atiku’s style. They may say they would have preferred ‘President Tinubu.’ That is their opinion. But let us not invent an offence where none exists," he said.
Ibe emphasized that the focus should remain on the issues Atiku raised in his Independence Day speech.
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