APC blasts Atiku for disrespect, says aides call Tinubu by first name

The All Progressives Congress has berated the 2027 presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, Atiku Abubakar, for disrespecting President Bola Tinubu.

A statement by the Lagos APC spokesperson, Seye Oladejo, strongly condemned the deliberate and persistent practice by Mr Abubakar and some of his aides of referring to the president simply by his first name during press conferences, media interviews and other public engagements.

“We consider this practice unacceptable, deliberately disrespectful, politically irresponsible and unbecoming of individuals who have occupied, or aspire to occupy, the highest offices in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“Let us be clear: this is not a question of grammatical preference, personal familiarity or an innocent departure from convention. It is a matter of respect for the office of the president, the dignity of our national institutions and the standards of decorum expected of responsible political leaders,” the statement said.

The APC claimed that the former vice-president understood the symbolism, authority and institutional significance of the presidency, noting the practice inevitably raised questions about intent, judgment and respect for established democratic conventions.

It added, “Political disagreement does not confer a licence for deliberate discourtesy, and opposition does not cancel the obligation to show respect for the highest office in the land.”

Noting that the conduct was unfolding against the backdrop of an increasingly heated political atmosphere ahead of the 2027 elections, the ruling APC insisted that “political leaders have a responsibility to lower tensions, exercise restraint, model civility and demonstrate that competition for power need not degenerate into institutional disrespect”.

The party challenged Mr Abubakar to demonstrate the statesmanship expected of him, adding his political ambition, however legitimate, could not justify conduct that fell below the standards of civility and mutual respect required in a constitutional democracy.

The statement came amid the former vice-president’s criticism of Mr Tinubu’s administration’s policies, especially the fuel subsidy removal, which he said had thrown Nigerians into unwarranted hardship.