Calling Tinubu ‘Bola’ not a crime — Atiku’s Aide

Media adviser to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, Paul Ibe, has said his principal committed no offence by referring to President Bola Tinubu as “Bola” in his Independence Day address.

Ibe said those criticising Atiku over the manner in which he addressed the President had not identified any Nigerian law that required citizens to prefix Tinubu’s name with an official title.

In a post on X on Friday, Ibe said, “Bola is the President’s name, right? There is no Nigerian law that makes it a criminal offence to address a president by his first name.”

He cited Section 36(12) of the 1999 Constitution, which provides that no person shall be convicted of a criminal offence unless the offence and its punishment are prescribed in a written law.

“So, anyone claiming Atiku committed an offence should produce the law that says Nigerians must always prefix Bola Tinubu’s name with ‘President,’ ‘His Excellency’ or ‘Mr President.’ There is no such law,” he said.

The controversy followed Atiku’s Independence Day address, in which he referred to Tinubu simply as “Bola”.

Ibe argued that while Nigerians were free to disagree with Atiku’s choice of words, such disagreement should not be turned into a claim of criminality.

“People may debate Atiku’s style. They may say they would have preferred ‘President Tinubu.’ That is their opinion.

“But let us not invent an offence where none exists. Bola is his name. President is his office,” he said.

Ibe also invoked Section 39 of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of expression.

He further argued that the use of first names among political leaders was not unprecedented, citing former United States President Barack Obama’s public references to former German Chancellor Angela Merkel as “Angela” at official events.

The Atiku aide said the focus should instead be on the issues raised by the former Vice-President in his Independence Day address.

“The more important question is whether Atiku’s critics can address the substantive issues he raised in his Independence Day state-of-the-nation address,” Ibe said.

The development comes amid heightened political exchanges ahead of the 2027 general elections, with Atiku now representing the African Democratic Congress in the emerging opposition contest.