I want the general public to ask Seyi Tinubu, what is his interest in NANS?
Henry Okunomo, a former president of the National Association of Nigerian Students’ Senate, has voiced his displeasure with the increasing politicization of students and warned that the organization is on the brink of collapse as a result of outside influence and a compromise on its original goals.
Concerned about the president’s son allegedly meddling in NANS matters, he also voiced his disapproval.
In an interview with Channels Television on Wednesday, Okunomo slammed the growing power of political figures inside NANS, claiming that many of them are running for office to further their own interests rather than those of the students.
Okunomo said, “In fact, let me say, the organisation is almost losing it. Because these people have programmed the organisation in the sense that if you do not have government backing, I’m afraid you might not be able to become anything in the organisation.
“Everybody is now tagging themselves to one political party or the other. The organisation is already losing the purpose of its creation.”
As for Seyi Tinubu, the son of the president, Okunomo voiced concern about his purported engagement in NANS matters and questioned his influence, even though he was neither a Nigerian student nor a previous member of the organization.
“With the involvement of the president’s son for the past one year, he has done everything to make sure that the organisation is porous. What he stands to gain, I don’t know.
“What he wants to achieve, I don’t know. But the question I want the general public to ask him is, what is his interest in NANS?
“He wasn’t a stakeholder. He didn’t school in Nigeria. Because the only thing that can qualify you to be a stakeholder in the organisation is if you have served in the organisation.
“You now hide under the power that you have to be terrorising some set of people in the country that everybody’s security is meant to be secured by the president of the country.”
This follows after the alleged thugs associated with Seyi Tinubu—the son of President Bola Tinubu—violently interrupted the NANS inauguration event that took place on Tuesday in Abuja, and they allegedly attacked Comrade Atiku Abubakar Isah, president of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).
Several attendees were injured and many others had their phones and personal possessions stolen when the assailants attacked the site, the Wells Carlton Hotel in Asokoro. The assailants were equipped with cutlasses and firearms according to Atiku to spoke to SaharaReporters.
Atiku said, “Before the day of the inauguration, Seyi had asked the Senior Special Assistant on Students and Youth Affairs to lure me into silence with money. I was told he was ready to offer me a hundred million naira. My refusal to accept the bribe led to the attack yesterday.
“When Seyi’s thugs, led by one Ladoja, came in with machetes and guns, they beat people and injured many. Nigerians should beg Seyi to spare my life.”