Nigeria: Ex-Peter Obi Campaigner Faults Atiku's Repeated Reference to Tinubu As 'Bola'

What the report says

Akin Osuntokun, a former spokesman for Peter Obi and campaign director in the 2023 presidential race, has criticised former Vice President Atiku Abubakar for repeatedly referring to President Bola Tinubu as “Bola” in a 1 October address. In a statement reported on Thursday, Osuntokun said Atiku is free to challenge Tinubu and his administration, but argued that using the president’s first name in that setting showed unnecessary disrespect toward the office.

Osuntokun said his long relationship with Atiku made him reluctant to respond more harshly, but he still described the wording as an affront to the presidency. He added that opponents of Tinubu have constitutional options if they want him removed, including impeachment or defeating him in an election, rather than relying on what he saw as personal mockery.

The comments come as Atiku, a former vice president, remains one of the prominent opposition figures positioning himself against the ruling party ahead of the 2027 general elections. Osuntokun stressed that his concern was not about defending Tinubu’s policies, but about public decorum and respect for Nigeria’s highest elected office. He also suggested that Atiku’s language could raise doubts about the temperament he would bring to office if he were elected.