Atiku’s Spokesman Defends Use of ‘Bola’ for President Tinubu

Paul Ibe, a media adviser to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, has defended Atiku’s use of the name “Bola” when referring to President Bola Tinubu in a recent speech. Ibe stated that there is no law in Nigeria that prohibits addressing a president by their first name.

Some individuals expressed anger over Atiku’s choice of words during his Independence Day address, but Ibe emphasized that such outrage does not equate to a legal offense. He pointed out that the 1999 Constitution states that no one can be convicted of a crime unless it is clearly defined in written law.

Ibe challenged critics to provide evidence of any law that requires people to use formal titles when addressing the president. He noted that using first names among political leaders is common, citing examples like former U.S. President Barack Obama referring to former German Chancellor Angela Merkel simply as “Angela”.

He also mentioned that the Constitution protects freedom of expression, allowing people to have differing opinions about Atiku’s style of address. However, he urged critics to focus on the substantive issues raised in Atiku’s speech rather than inventing offenses that do not exist.