Atiku’s Selective Respect: He Demands Elder Respect From Shettima But Denies Same Respect To President Tinubu

Nigerians, let us talk honestly about this man called Atiku Abubakar.

The same Atiku who is now hiding behind culture and age has been exposed again.

In an interview on Sunday with the GTA Hausa podcast anchored by Yusuf Harande, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar said he will not respond to Vice President Kashim Shettima because Shettima is disrespectful.

His exact words: “I will not respond to Kashim Shettima because he is disrespectful. I am older than him, and I have more experience in governance than he does, so I will not respond to him.”

He went further to lecture us on Northern culture: “It is not part of our tradition in the North to disrespect elders. You cannot look at someone who is senior to you in both age and accomplishments and start taunting him. That is not our tradition, so I won’t engage with him.”

Beautiful speech. If only Atiku respected it himself.

This is the same Atiku Abubakar that Nigerians asked, please respect the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Please call him President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. What did Atiku do?

He refused. He insisted on calling him “Bola” – like a mate in the motor park. “Bola did this. Bola did that.” No title. No respect for the office. No respect for the institution that holds Nigeria together.

When it was convenient for him to disrespect President Bola Tinubu – a man who is 72 years old, a man who is his senior in political ranking, a man who is President and Commander-in-Chief of 200 million Nigerians – Atiku forgot all about Northern tradition. He forgot about elder respect. He forgot about culture.

Now that Vice President Kashim Shettima, in the legitimate discharge of his duty, asked Atiku a simple, developmental question – Name eight projects you executed for the North in your eight years as Vice President. Name eight people you empowered in the North – Atiku suddenly remembered he is an elder.

What an irony!

Atiku served as Vice President from 1999 to 2007. Eight solid years. As Chairman of the National Council on Privatisation, he sold hundreds of national assets. Nigerians are asking, where are the eight projects in the North? Where are the eight empowered Northern youths?

Instead of answering, he is hiding behind age.

If age is now the qualification for respect, then Atiku must first respect President Tinubu who sits on the highest stool in the land.

If Northern tradition frowns at a younger person challenging an elder, then what does Northern tradition say about a citizen who openly disrespects the President, the father of the nation?

This is Atiku’s old habit. His double standard is a lifestyle.

He wants respect but he never gives respect.
He demands courtesy but he never shows courtesy. He wants to be called Waziri, former Vice President, elder statesman – but he calls the sitting President by his first name like a houseboy.

You cannot demand respect when you trade in disrespect.

Shettima did not insult him. Shettima asked for his scorecard. That is what democracy demands. If Atiku cannot list eight projects in eight years, he should say so, not hide behind Hausa tradition that he himself does not observe when it comes to President Tinubu.

Nigerians are watching.

You cannot be an elder only when you are being questioned. You must be an elder all the time – including when you speak about the President.

Atiku should answer the question: Eight projects. Eight people. Or forever remain silent.