Atiku rebukes Tinubu over 'Bola' remark, says presidency not stool
Atiku Abubakar has pushed back against criticism from President Bola Tinubu's media aide, Sunday Dare, for addressing the president by his first name, "Bola". In a statement signed by his media aide, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the presidency is not Tinubu's ancestral stool or a shrine, and that Nigerians elected a president, not an emperor. He argued that the outrage over his use of Tinubu's first name is manufactured to deflect attention from the president's disastrous record, citing high petrol and food prices as evidence of suffering that demands direct language. Atiku emphasized that the presidency is an office held in trust for the people, open to scrutiny from any Nigerian, including the leading opposition figure, and that he does not need an appointment from Tinubu or permission from the APC to propose solutions. Earlier, Sunday Dare had accused Atiku of insolence and desperation for using the president's first name, insisting such behavior undermines the dignity of the office. The exchange highlights growing tension between the opposition and the administration as economic pressures mount nationwide. Will Nigerians demand leaders focus on economic relief rather than personal titles, or will such exchanges continue to dominate public discourse?