African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has said the Nigerian presidency is not President Bola Tinubu’s “ancestral stool” or a shrine, as he defended his decision to address the president by his first name.
Atiku made the remarks in response to criticism from the presidency over his reference to Tinubu as “Bola.”
The president’s media aide, Sunday Dare, had criticized Atiku’s choice of name, describing it as insolence and desperation.
Reacting in a statement issued by his media aide, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the presidency’s inability to defend what he described as Tinubu’s “disastrous record” had resulted in what he called “manufactured outrage” over the issue.
He argued that Nigerians elected a president and not an emperor, adding that public office did not confer divinity on its occupant.
“The presidency is not Tinubu’s ancestral stool, and Nigeria is not his private estate,” Atiku said.
He maintained that the president should remain open to scrutiny from Nigerians, including opposition politicians.
Atiku also cited the rising cost of petrol and food as issues he said deserved greater attention than the controversy over his use of Tinubu’s first name.
“The presidency is not a shrine. It is an office held in trust for the Nigerian people,” he said.
He added that he did not require permission from Tinubu or the All Progressives Congress (APC) to speak out or propose solutions to the country’s challenges.
