The controversy surrounding the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) took a twist on Friday as Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Tinubu, denied allegations linking him to the internal crisis rocking the association.
In a statement posted via his Instagram account on Friday, Tinubu refuted the accusations made by Atiku Isah, who claimed to be the NANS President, describing them as false and defamatory.
“Wow… how can someone lie with so much confidence? An attempt to defame my character. May God be with you, Comrade Atiku Isah,” Seyi wrote.
He further stated, “I have never held a meeting to discuss any subject matter with Comrade Isah in Lagos or anywhere else in the world.
“I have never knowingly met him before. Neither (sic) did I visit any location with thugs. All these allegations made by Atiku Isah are completely fictional.”
Seyi’s response came after Isah, during a press briefing on Wednesday, alleged that the President’s son and the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, had offered him a ₦100 million bribe in Lagos to promote President Tinubu’s image.
According to Isah, he rejected the offer, citing the administration’s alleged underperformance.
“I was abducted on the 15th of April. I was stripped naked and beaten seriously… I did that to gain my freedom, but immediately, I released a press statement that I was forced (sic) under duress. Because I was naked, I was beaten. They claimed they would share the video,” Isah alleged.
He also claimed that his life was threatened by individuals allegedly loyal to Tinubu.
“They told me that nothing would happen if they shared the video, and even if they killed me, Seyi Tinubu would order a cover-up. Ladoja, who was involved, said he would instruct the Inspector General of Police to cover it up and that if the police didn’t comply, he would go.
“I made it clear that even if I am shot, I will still come to this hall. The inauguration proceeded, and I was announced as president.”
Meanwhile, Olusola Ladoja, who has been officially recognised as the legitimate NANS President, dismissed Isah’s claims and position.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Ladoja said, “It is, therefore, necessary to place on public record that Olusola Ladoja remains the sole, legitimate, and globally recognised President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), having emerged through a transparent, democratic, and widely monitored electoral process.”
He dismissed the idea of a factional leadership as “laughable” and accused Atiku Isah of impersonation, warning that such actions would face legal consequences.
Speaking later on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Thursday, Ladoja further stated that he was unaware of any alleged attack on Isah by thugs.
He also defended Seyi Tinubu, saying, “Seyi Tinubu brought himself low to mingle with the youths. He is not affiliated with NANS, and he is not even my friend.
“I only see him occasionally. I don’t see the reason why people will just decide to drag his name online. It’s not making sense to me.”
Henry Okunomo, a former Senate President of NANS, had warned that the association was becoming increasingly politicised, citing external interference as a serious threat to its founding values.
“Everybody is now tagging themselves to one political party or the other. The organisation is already losing the purpose of its creation.
“With the involvement of the president’s son for the past year, he has done everything to make sure that the organisation is porous. What he stands to gain, I don’t know,” he told Channels Television on Wednesday
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