Atiku's aide defends calling Tinubu 'Bola', cites constitutional free speech

Atiku Abubakar’s media aide, Paul Ibe, defended the ADC presidential candidate’s use of ‘Bola’ to refer to President Bola Tinubu, saying no Nigerian law makes it an offence to address the president by his first name. In a post on his verified X account on Friday, Ibe argued that under Section 36(12) of the Constitution, a person cannot be convicted of an offence unless the offence and its punishment are written in law, and that Section 39 guarantees freedom of expression. He challenged critics to point to any law requiring Nigerians to call Tinubu ‘President’, ‘His Excellency’ or ‘Mr President,’ adding that while people may dislike Atiku’s style, turning it into a legal offence invents a rule that does not exist. Ibe urged the public to focus instead on the substantive issues Atiku raised in his Independence Day address. The exchange highlights ongoing tensions over political etiquette and the limits of free speech in Nigeria’s public discourse. Should public officials be required to use formal titles, or is freedom of expression enough to allow informal address?

SOURCE: https://dailypost.ng/2026/10/02/bola-is-his-name-president-is-his-office-paul-ibe-defends-atiku/