2027 Elections: Reno Omokri Tells Atiku to Apologise to Tinubu, Explains Why

• Nigeria's ambassador-designate to Mexico, Reno Omokri, has called out former Vice President Atiku Abubakar over his conduct at a press conference
• Omokri noted that Atiku repeatedly addressed President Tinubu by his first name, 'Bola', instead of using his official title
• The ambassador-designate drew comparisons to how Atiku addressed past presidents, including Buhari and Obasanjo, to make his case

Nigeria's ambassador-designate to Mexico, Reno Omokri, has written an open letter to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, demanding that he apologise to President Bola Tinubu after repeatedly calling the president by his first name during a recent press conference.

Omokri said he watched Atiku's press conference and observed that the former vice president consistently addressed the president as "Bola" rather than using his official title.

Omokri Cites Democratic Norms

In the letter, Omokri argued that referring to a sitting president by his first name is disrespectful not only to the individual but to the office itself and, by extension, to Nigeria as a country. He urged Atiku to recognise that criticism of a president can be made firmly without dispensing with basic courtesy.

"By all means, sir, do criticise the President. That is what democracy is all about. But in doing so, you ought to still give regard to the office he holds," Omokri wrote.

To back his argument, Omokri pointed out that Atiku never addressed former President Muhammadu Buhari as "Muhammadu", even during the 2019 presidential election when they were direct opponents. He also noted that Atiku maintained the title of "President Obasanjo" when referring to his former principal, Olusegun Obasanjo, despite the pair having a difficult and public falling-out that included Obasanjo declaring his vice-presidential seat vacant in December 2006.

Omokri also recalled that on Thursday, November 17, 2022, former US President Barack Obama told television host Trevor Noah that it was improper to address him by his first name, saying: "You should call me 'Mr President.'"

The ambassador-designate further reminded Atiku that on Thursday, November 3, 2022, Atiku himself had accused another politician of being "rude" and "disrespectful" towards him and had demanded an apology, arguing that this showed Atiku valued being treated with respect.

Omokri's Appeal to Atiku

Omokri also noted that President Tinubu had previously supported Atiku by offering him a platform on the Action Congress ticket, making the show of disrespect all the more striking.

He called on Atiku to publicly acknowledge the error, apologise for the conduct, and set a positive standard for younger Nigerians watching how senior politicians engage with democratic institutions.

"I sincerely appeal to you, sir, to acknowledge the error of calling the President by his first name, apologise for being indecorous to him, and set a better standard of democratic behaviour for younger Nigerians to follow," Omokri wrote.

Atiku Abubakar, a former vice president who has contested Nigeria's presidential election multiple times, emerged as the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the 2027 general elections after winning the party's primary on May 27, 2026. The ADC's National Executive Committee subsequently ratified his candidacy at a meeting in Abuja on May 30, 2026.

Atiku Urgently Needs Mental Health Support - Keyamo

In another report, Aviation and Aerospace Development Minister Festus Keyamo has called on those close to Atiku to seek mental health support for him, following the opposition figure's public rejection of President Tinubu's 30-day petrol price discount.

Legit.ng reports that Keyamo made the remark in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday night, October 9, saying the former vice president was consumed by bitterness over Tinubu's political rise and was showing signs of what the minister described as "agitated depression."