Seyi Tinubu, the son of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has firmly denied ever meeting or engaging in discussions with Atiku Abubakar Isah, the President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS). He also refuted allegations that he orchestrated an attack on Atiku’s faction during a recent NANS event, describing the claims as entirely fabricated.
In a statement posted on his Instagram page on Friday, Seyi Tinubu clarified that he had “never knowingly met” Comrade Atiku Isah and vehemently rejected any connection to acts of violence or political meddling in student affairs. “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 did I visit any location with thugs,” he stated.
The denial came in response to a report by SaharaReporters, which cited Atiku Isah’s accusations that Seyi Tinubu was involved in planning an assault against him during a disputed NANS inauguration. Atiku had alleged that Seyi collaborated with a rival faction within the student body to disrupt his leadership and physically attack him. However, Seyi Tinubu insisted that the allegations were completely unfounded.
Earlier, SaharaReporters had published claims by Atiku Isah that Seyi Tinubu attempted to bribe him with N100 million to influence his political stance. Atiku made the allegations during a press conference on Wednesday, recounting events leading up to the attack on his inauguration ceremony in Abuja. According to him, Seyi Tinubu approached him with the financial offer, which he rejected on principle. He described the incident as an effort to manipulate student leadership, adding that his refusal was met with violence when alleged thugs linked to Seyi Tinubu disrupted the NANS event.
Atiku further explained that he had been invited to Lagos to meet with Seyi Tinubu and the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande. During the meeting, he claimed, the minister embraced him before the alleged bribe was offered. “The Minister for Youth, when he saw me, hugged me in Lagos. We talked, and I was to be offered N100 million. But the thing is, it’s not all about money. There are things which I stand for,” Atiku stated during the press briefing.
Seyi Tinubu’s rebuttal has further intensified the controversy surrounding the allegations, with both sides presenting conflicting accounts of the events. The situation has drawn public attention, raising questions about the involvement of political figures in student union affairs.
