Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo has accused former Vice President and African Democratic Congress presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar of showing disrespect to President Bola Tinubu by repeatedly addressing him as “Bola” during a press conference in Abuja, describing the conduct as “very disrespectful and discourteous” to the office of the presidency, Sahara Reporters reports
Keyamo made the remarks in a post on his X account shortly after Atiku addressed journalists on the state of the Nigerian economy, calling on Tinubu to take urgent steps to reduce petrol prices.
“The continuous reference to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu by His Excellency, ex-Vice-President Atiku Abubakar in his Press Conference earlier today as ‘Bola’ is very disrespectful and discourteous,” Keyamo wrote.
“He should know better that no matter your differences with Mr. President, for the sake of the country, that office should be accorded all the dignity it deserves,” the minister added.
Keyamo went further, accusing Atiku of allowing personal grievances to colour his public remarks. “The tone reeks of pain and bitterness in his heart,” he said.
The minister also pointed to what he described as a contradiction in Atiku’s conduct, noting that the ADC presidential candidate had recently claimed Tinubu was older than himself — yet proceeded to address an alleged elder by his first name.
“After all, he made the outlandish claim the other day that Mr. President is older than himself. It is therefore a contradiction that he would also refer to an ‘elder’ by his first name,” Keyamo said.
Atiku had used the press conference to call for immediate government action on the rising cost of petrol, which has climbed to as high as N1,500 per litre in parts of northern Nigeria.
