Osuntokun took issue with Atiku’s repeated reference to President Bola Tinubu by his first name, “Bola,” describing the choice of address as disrespectful and an affront to the office of the President.

Key Points from Osuntokun’s Statement:

• Acknowledgment of Criticism: Osuntokun affirmed that Atiku, as a political figure, is entitled to criticize the President, regardless of how sharp or severe that criticism may be [cite: 3, 5].

• Objection to Familiarity: The former presidential aide expressed strong dissatisfaction with the use of the President’s first name, calling it a “needless display of disrespect” that does not strengthen Atiku’s political argument [cite: 3, 5].

• Insult to the Office: Osuntokun argued that this level of informality is unacceptable and amounts to an insult to Nigeria, the nation that the office of the President represents [cite: 5].

• Legitimate Avenues for Opposition: He acknowledged that while opponents have legitimate constitutional and democratic means to seek the President’s removal—such as impeachment or the ballot box—until those methods succeed, Tinubu is entitled to the privileges and respect due to the office [cite: 6].

• Call for Decorum: Osuntokun clarified that his objection was not a demand for deference to Tinubu’s policies or personality, but a call for decorum in public discourse and respect for the institution of the presidency [cite: 7].

• Questioning Judgment: He concluded that Atiku’s choice of words raises concerns about the temperament and judgment he would bring to the presidency if elected [cite: 9].

During a recent church service, the cleric declared that no single religious or ethnic group holds exclusive ownership of Nigeria. He challenged those promoting such divisive narratives to justify their stance and account for their actual contributions to national development.

Key Highlights from Oyedepo’s Address:

• Equal Stake in the Nation: Emphasizing that all citizens are co-owners of the country, Bishop Oyedepo stated that no Nigerian should be made to feel like a “tenant” based on their faith or ethnicity.

• Warning to Opponents: In a stern message to politicians and power brokers he accused of working against the church, Oyedepo warned them to be cautious. He declared that any conspiracy against the body of Christ would ultimately fail and recoil upon the perpetrators.

• “No Nigerian is More Nigerian than Another”: He asserted that the nation belongs to all Nigerians equally and rejected any notion of hierarchical citizenship.

Delivering an impassioned address, he stated:

“Don’t vote for a Christian. We won’t give it to a Christian. Who are you to give it? What yeye people? If you introduce your abilities, you have scattered the nation. You scattered the nation. Look at your brain. What have you contributed to the nation till now? Caution. Fire is burning. Fire is burning. Fire is burning. Muslims don’t own Nigeria. We are not tenants to Fulanis. Please listen, all those in power. Watch.

“May the bubble not burst on your head. If you won’t let Nigeria rest, whichever you are, wherever you are, be prepared. God will need you to rest. Every gang up against the church will fall on the head of perpetrators. Thank you, Jesus. No Nigerian is more a Nigerian than another. We own this country together. My forefathers never bought land from Fulanis. How did it become your own? You don’t pack up from the bush. This will happen. Bubble will burst. The bubble will burst. The dagger of heaven will answer. Politicians don’t own the nation. Nigerians own the nation. Thank you, Jesus.”