Omokri Urges Atiku to Respect President Tinubu's Title

Reno Omokri, a former presidential aide and Nigeria’s ambassador-designate to Mexico, called on former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to apologize to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for addressing 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,’ Omokri stated that such informal references could set a poor precedent and negatively impact the perception of opposition politics in Nigeria.

He argued that Atiku's choice of words might suggest a preferential respect for former President Muhammadu Buhari due to their shared northern background. Omokri compared Atiku's treatment of Tinubu to his respectful address of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, despite their political disagreements.

He maintained that while criticism of the President is part of democracy, it should not come at the expense of respecting the office. Omokri cited an exchange involving Barack Obama, emphasizing the need to address a sitting president with the proper title.