Nigerian ambassador-designate to Mexico, Reno Omokri, has asked the African Democratic Congress, ADC, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, to apologise to President Bola Tinubu for addressing the President by his first name.
In a post on his verified X handle, Omokri charged Atiku to address the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces with the respect due to his office.
He said such would show good judgment on Atiku’s part and demonstrate the temperament required of a good leader.
The former presidential aide lamented that repeatedly referring to the President as ‘Bola’ sets a poor precedent, stating that it is wrong and reflects poorly on Nigeria and Nigerians in the international community.
According to him, such an act portrays opposition politics in Nigeria as pedestrian.
He equally said Atiku’s action will divide Nigeria because he had never addressed former President Muhammadu Buhari whom he contested with as ‘Muhammadu’.
“You need to apologise to President Tinubu. I watched your press conference today and noticed that you repeatedly referred to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces as ‘Bola’ rather than President Bola Tinubu.
“Even when you fell out with your boss, President Olusegun Obasanjo, you never referred to him as ‘Olusegun’. You always gave him the respect due to his office by calling him President Obasanjo, even when you criticised him.
“Yet this was a President who called you names I cannot even print here, and in December 2006 declared your office as Vice President vacant, then withdrew your rights and privileges, and even ordered you out of a Federal Executive Council meeting.
“President Tinubu has not done any of that. He was in your corner when you were being bullied and offered you a ticket on the Action Congress platform. Yet, you disrespect him and respect President Obasanjo,” Omokri wrote.