Former presidential aide and Nigeria’s ambassador-designate to Mexico, Reno Omokri, has urged former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to apologise to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for repeatedly referring to him by his first name during his recent press conference.
In an open letter titled ‘Why Waziri Atiku Abubakar Should Apologise To President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,’ Omokri appealed to Atiku to address the President with the respect he said was due to the office.
“Sir, I appeal to you, as a most respected elder statesman, to find it within yourself to address the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces with the respect due to his office,” he wrote.
Omokri said the manner in which the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) referred to Tinubu set a poor precedent and could portray opposition politics in Nigeria negatively before the international community.
He also argued that the former vice president’s choice of words could create the impression that he respected former President Muhammadu Buhari because they shared a northern background and ethnicity.
“Also, because you never referred to President Muhammadu Buhari, whom you contested against in 2019, as Muhammadu, your action of referring to the President as ‘Bola’ will divide Nigeria and cause Nigerians to believe that you respected General Muhammadu Buhari because he was a Northerner and was of the same ethnicity as you. I know that is not the case,” Omokri wrote.
He compared Atiku’s approach to his relationship with former President Olusegun Obasanjo, noting that the former vice president continued to address Obasanjo by his presidential title despite their political disagreements.
Omokri recalled that Obasanjo had, in December 2006, declared Atiku’s office as vice president vacant, withdrawn his rights and privileges, and ordered him out of a Federal Executive Council meeting.
He argued that Tinubu had not treated Atiku in the same manner and recalled that the President had supported him when he was being bullied and offered him a presidential ticket on the Action Congress platform.
Omokri maintained that Atiku could criticise the President and his policies without disregarding the office he occupies.
“By all means, sir, do criticise the President. That is what democracy is all about. But in doing so, you ought to still give regard to the office he holds. To disrespect that office is to disrespect Nigeria, the very same country you aspire to lead,” he wrote.
He also cited an alleged exchange between former United States President Barack Obama and television host Trevor Noah on November 17, 2022, claiming that Obama had cautioned Noah against addressing him by his first name.
According to Omokri, Obama said: “You should call me ‘Mr President. ‘ President.’”
He argued that the principle of respecting the office of a president should apply even more strongly to a serving head of state.
“Calling a President by their proper appellation, which is “Mr President” or “Madam President”, shows that you are a democrat who recognises that the Head of State of a country is ALWAYS worthy of respect because of the office they occupy and the people they lead,” he wrote.
Omokri added that Atiku could have delivered his criticisms while addressing Tinubu by his official titles, including President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
He further recalled an incident in November 2022 in which Atiku reportedly accused another politician of being rude and disrespectful towards him and demanded an apology.
Omokri cited the episode as an example of the importance Atiku himself placed on being treated with respect.
“I sincerely appeal to you, sir, to acknowledge the error of calling the President by his first name, apologise for being indecorous to him, and set a better standard of democratic behaviour for younger Nigerians to follow,” he wrote.
