Femi Fani-Kayode Critiques Atiku Abubakar's Address

Femi Fani-Kayode, Nigeria’s Ambassador to South Africa, criticized Atiku Abubakar, the African Democratic Congress presidential candidate, for referring to President Bola Tinubu by his first name during his October 1 Independence Day address. Fani-Kayode stated that he was tempted to call Atiku "Kachalla" in retaliation but chose to maintain respect for the former Vice President.

He described Atiku's address as "intellectually-flawed, highly disrespectful, inherently dishonest and utterly bereft of decency and logic." Fani-Kayode noted that Atiku's failure to address Tinubu as "President" was petty. He agreed with Akin Osuntokun's criticism of Atiku's conduct, citing Atiku's history of political confrontations, including his fallout with former President Olusegun Obasanjo and public disagreements with him.

Fani-Kayode also criticized Atiku's remarks about former President Goodluck Jonathan and questioned his adherence to northern cultural values. He referenced the 2022 killing of Deborah Samuel in Sokoto State, indicating Atiku's initial response to the incident.