Presidential Adviser Says Former Vice-President’s Reference Was “Insolent”
The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, has criticised former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar for repeatedly referring to the President as “Bola” during a recent press conference.
Dare made the remarks in a statement on Saturday while reacting to Atiku’s call for the Federal Government to intervene to reduce the price of petrol.
Atiku had urged President Tinubu to adopt his proposal, saying the President could rename the initiative and take credit for it if it would reduce the financial burden on Nigerians.
Dare defended the administration’s economic reforms, saying President Tinubu was implementing measures aimed at restructuring the economy and addressing longstanding fiscal challenges.
He also questioned Atiku’s proposal for government intervention on petrol prices, describing it as a political strategy aimed at gaining electoral advantage from economic difficulties.
The comments came a day after Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, also criticised Atiku for referring to President Tinubu as “Bola”, describing the reference as disrespectful and discourteous to the office of the President.
Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), is positioning himself ahead of the 2027 presidential election, while President Tinubu is expected to seek a second term on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).