Seyi Tinubu shouldn’t turn NANS into a rubber-stamp association. His activities are undermining democracy in Nigeria, and it is completely unacceptable.
Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has been allegedly meddling in student government activities on an ongoing and unlawful basis, according to the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).
The National Public Relations Officer of NANS, Orowole Eniola Owoyemi, issued a statement on Wednesday on behalf of the association, in which NANS accused Seyi Tinubu of trying to take over NANS’s leadership and activities, thereby compromising NANS’s autonomy and its duty to represent students’ interests in Nigeria.
The statement read, “From inception, NANS has been known to be an independent body that fights for the rights and privileges of Nigerian students. However, the recent happenings have negated this claim.
“Comrade Isa Atiku Abubakar was abducted twice on Seyi Tinubu’s instruction.
“The inauguration ceremony at The Wells Carlton Hotel, Asokoro, Abuja, was violently disrupted by thugs allegedly loyal to Seyi Tinubu. His aim is to pocket the association and turn it into a toothless bulldog.
“His efforts will not prevail. It is not possible to silence the voice of the majority.
“The incident that occurred right inside the Villa, when the President warned his son on national television to stay away from the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, is still fresh in our memories.
“He shouldn’t turn NANS into a rubber-stamp association. His activities are undermining democracy in Nigeria, and it is completely unacceptable.
“The National Association of Nigerian Students, through the office of the President, Comrade Isa Atiku Abubakar, is planning a nationwide protest if this continues. We will not allow our platform to be used as a political tool.”
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 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.
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.”
Henry Okunomo, a former president of the National Association of Nigerian Students’ Senate, also voiced his disapproval and concerned about the president’s son allegedly meddling in NANS matters.
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?”