Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has faulted former Vice-President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, over his repeated reference to President Bola Tinubu as “Bola”.
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Keyamo said the manner of address was inappropriate, arguing that political disagreements should not diminish the dignity attached to the office of the President.
The minister reacted after Atiku addressed journalists in Abuja on Friday while speaking about petrol prices, the rising cost of living and the Federal Government’s economic policies.
In his reaction posted on X, Keyamo described Atiku’s choice of words as “very disrespectful and discourteous”. He stressed that the presidency should command respect regardless of political differences.
Keyamo also questioned the consistency of Atiku’s remarks about their respective ages. He recalled that the former vice-president had previously claimed that Tinubu was older than him.
According to the minister, addressing someone described as an elder solely by his first name was contradictory.
Keyamo further accused Atiku’s comments of reflecting personal resentment, saying the tone of the former vice-president’s remarks suggested “pain and bitterness”.
Atiku’s comments that triggered the exchange were largely focused on petrol prices and the economic pressure facing Nigerians.
The ADC candidate urged Tinubu to consider government intervention to bring down the price of petrol, saying the President should not reject a proposal simply because it came from a political opponent.
Atiku said Tinubu could adopt the proposal, give it another name and even claim political credit for it, provided the policy resulted in cheaper petrol for Nigerians.
“What matters to me is that Nigerians pay less,” Atiku said.
He also argued that palliative measures should not become a substitute for policies capable of addressing the underlying causes of economic hardship.
Atiku maintained that the impact of high energy costs extends beyond filling stations, affecting transportation, food prices, businesses and household purchasing power.
He consequently called for policy changes that would provide more lasting relief instead of relying mainly on temporary assistance.
The exchange between Atiku and Keyamo comes amid heightened political activity ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with economic policy and the cost of living emerging as major areas of political debate.
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