APC Slams Atiku For Calling Tinubu ‘Bola’, Says Ambition Has Robbed Him Of Statesmanship
The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council (APC PCC) has accused former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of allowing political ambition to undermine his statesmanship following his decision to address President Bola Tinubu simply as ‘Bola’.
The APC PCC spokesperson and Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, said in a statement on Monday that Atiku, who is now the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has failed to demonstrate the decorum and respect expected of a former Vice President and an aspirant to the nation’s highest office.
Atiku has repeatedly referred to the President as ‘Bola’ rather than President Tinubu, while describing his administration as a “Yahoo Yahoo” government, accusing it of lying, and insinuating that the President did not attend school.
Reacting to the remarks, Alake said the council has urged its party leaders, spokespersons, members and support groups to continue to accord Atiku the respect due to him as a former Vice President and presidential candidate, despite the controversy.
The statement partly read, “We have followed the furore and public reactions to the self-imposed indiscretion and disrespect for the office of the President of Nigeria and Commander-in-Chief by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the ADC.
“While a higher standard of decorum, decency and deference to constituted authorities is expected from a former Vice President of Nigeria and an aspirant to the highest office in the country, we are concerned that the ADC presidential candidate has not lived up to those expectations by his unbecoming decision to address the President of Nigeria on a first-name basis as ‘Bola’.”
Alake added, “Since Alhaji Atiku lost the last presidential election, he has allowed political animosity and uncontrollable ambition to rob him of the statesmanship that should guide his public conduct and utterances.
“Alhaji Atiku, for reasons best known to him alone, chose, rather than being a good example of decency in political behaviour, to set himself up as a model of politician the younger generation of political actors should never aspire to be like.”
The APC campaign council stressed that it would not follow Atiku’s path, noting that as a party grounded in progressive ideals and African traditional values of respect, it would focus on issues.
“Our campaign will focus on issues important to Nigerians. We will sell our party programmes, President Bola Tinubu’s achievements in office, and how the administration is moving Nigeria from reforms to prosperity as the President seeks a second-term mandate from Nigerians,” the statement added.
