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The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has criticized former Vice President Atiku Abubakar for calling President Bola Tinubu “Bola”, and accused the African Democratic Congress presidential candidate of allowing political rivalries to erode the civility expected of the former second-highest official in the country.
Council spokesperson and Minister of Solid Minerals, Dele Alake, expressed his party’s displeasure in a statement issued on Monday, arguing that Atiku’s actions did not meet the standards expected of someone aspiring to become Nigeria’s president.
Atiku has repeatedly referred to Tinubu by his first name while describing his government as a “Yahoo Yahoo” government and accusing him of dishonesty.
He also made insinuations about the President’s educational background, thus further sparking debate among supporters of the two political camps.
Responding to the controversy, Alake said the APC campaign board remained committed to maintaining civility in political engagements, even though they perceived Atiku as ignoring existing civilities.
The statement read in part, “We have been following the uproar and public reaction to the indiscretion and disrespect for the office of President of Nigeria and Commander-in-Chief by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, ADC presidential candidate.
“While higher standards of decency, civility and respect for competent authority are expected of the former Vice President of Nigeria and aspiring to the highest office in the country, we are concerned that the ADC presidential candidate has not lived up to those expectations with his inappropriate decision to address the President of Nigeria by using his first name as ‘Bola’.
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“Since Alhaji Atiku lost the last presidential election, he has allowed political animosity and unbridled ambition to rob him of the statesmanship that should guide his behavior and speech in public.
“Alhaji Atiku, for reasons known only to him, chose, instead of being a good example of political conduct, to set himself up as a model politician that the younger generation of political actors should not aspire to.”
Despite its criticism of the former vice president, the APC campaign council urged its members and supporters to remain respectful of Atiku’s former position and status as a presidential candidate.
Alake said the party would not let personal exchanges distract it from communicating its policies, defending the government’s track record and conveying its agenda to Nigerians ahead of the next presidential election.
The board reiterated its position in the statement, saying:
“Without regard to his personal choice to dishonor the office he seeks to occupy, the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council has called on all party leaders, spokespersons, party members and support groups to extend all respect, courtesy and appreciation to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as the former Vice President of Nigeria and presidential candidate.
“As a party based on progressive ideals and traditional African values, our campaign board will not follow in the footsteps of Alhaji Atiku. Our campaign will focus on issues important to Nigerians. We will sell our party’s programmes, President Bola Tinubu’s achievements during his time in office, and how the government is taking Nigeria from reform to prosperity as the Nigerian President seeks a mandate for a second term.”
