Nigerian ambassador-designate to Mexico, Reno Omokri, has asked former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to apologise to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for repeatedly referring to him by his first name during a recent press conference.
In an open letter titled ‘Why Waziri Atiku Abubakar Should Apologise to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’, Mr Omokri urged the former vice president 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.
Mr Omokri argued that the manner in which Mr Abubakar, the African Democratic Congress, ADC, presidential candidate, referred to Mr 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,” Mr Omokri wrote.
He compared Mr Abubakar’s treatment of Mr Tinubu with his relationship with former President Olusegun Obasanjo, noting that the former vice president continued to address Mr Obasanjo by his presidential title despite their political disagreements.
Mr Omokri recalled that in December 2006, Mr Obasanjo declared Mr Abubakar’s office as vice president vacant, withdrew his rights and privileges, and ordered him out of a Federal Executive Council meeting.
He argued that Mr Tinubu had not treated Mr Abubakar in the same manner, adding that the president had supported the former vice president when he was being bullied and offered him a presidential ticket on the platform of the Action Congress.
Mr Omokri maintained that Mr Abubakar could criticise the president and his policies without showing disrespect to 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.
Mr Omokri also cited an alleged exchange between former United States President Barack Obama and television host Trevor Noah on November 17, 2022, claiming that Mr Obama had cautioned Mr Noah against addressing him by his first name.
According to Mr Omokri, Mr Obama told the television host: “You should call me ‘Mr President.’”
He argued that the principle of respecting the office of the 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.