Presidential aide Sunday Dare has criticised former Vice President Atiku Abubakar for repeatedly referring to President Bola Tinubu as “Bola”, describing the address as “the height of insolence”.
Dare, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, made the comments on Saturday while reacting to Atiku’s recent press conference in Abuja.
Atiku had called on Tinubu to intervene to reduce the cost of petrol, saying the President could rename his proposal and take credit for it if the move would ease the burden on Nigerians.
He said:
“Bola Tinubu should not be ashamed to do what is necessary to lower the price of petrol simply because Atiku Abubakar proposed a government intervention.”
Reacting, Dare criticised Atiku’s choice of words while addressing the President.
He said:
“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 also accused Atiku of political hubris and questioned his criticism of the Tinubu administration’s economic policies.
He said:
“Atiku’s sudden conversion to the gospel of interventionism rings hollow. This is a desperate strategy by a perennial seeker of power who weaponizes transient national discomforts for electoral mileage.”
Atiku, during the press conference, had argued that the rising cost of petrol was contributing to higher transportation, food, logistics and energy costs.
He urged Tinubu to adopt his proposed intervention even if it meant taking credit for the idea, stressing that the priority should be reducing the burden on Nigerians.
The former vice president said:
“My dear Bola, events since then have raised a simple question.”
He later added:
“That is why I am calling on Mr. Bola Tinubu to act now. He has approximately eight months remaining in office. Bola, I want you to use those eight months to give Nigerians relief.”
Dare’s remarks followed a similar criticism from Aviation and Aerospace Development Minister Festus Keyamo, who described Atiku’s repeated reference to Tinubu as “Bola” as “very disrespectful and discourteous.”
