The pan-Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere, has rejected recent accusations made by Atiku Abubakar Isah, a factional president of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), against Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Tinubu. In a statement issued on Friday and signed by its National Organizing Secretary, Abagun Kole Omololu, Afenifere described the allegations as “salacious, fallacious, and completely unfounded.”
The group accused Isah of attempting to mislead the public with baseless claims and cautioned against using student platforms to spread falsehoods and create division. Afenifere also cast doubt on the legitimacy of Isah’s leadership within NANS, suggesting that his allegations were politically driven.
The statement read: “The attention of Afenifere has been drawn to claims by one Atiku Abubakar Isah, a factional President of the National Association of Nigerian Students, who has made some rather salacious and fallacious accusations against Seyi Tinubu.”
Afenifere pointed to Isah’s public display of allegiance to prominent opposition figures as evidence of a political agenda. “First, this individual apparently has a political motive, as clearly seen in the banner he hoisted outside the venue of his supposed inauguration. That banner proudly displays the photos of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Rotimi Amaechi, and other prominent members of the so-called anti-Tinubu coalition.”
The organization further asserted that Isah’s accusations were part of a broader scheme to target the Tinubu family. “This is prima facie evidence that Mr. Isah is being sponsored by the political enemies of Seyi Tinubu’s father and will, therefore, say anything to tarnish the President, which is what he is doing by attacking the son.”
Afenifere criticized Isah for making unsubstantiated claims linking Seyi Tinubu to his ordeal, describing the allegations as a “proxy war” against the President and his administration. “The obvious conclusion the public should, therefore, draw is that this is a proxy war against the President, his government, and his family by surrogates of the coalition of strange bedfellows cobbled together not for the benefit of Nigeria but to seize power by any means necessary.”
The group warned that such tactics were crossing the line of acceptable political conduct, stating that these methods “are going beyond decent and civilized politicking.” Afenifere urged the public to disregard Isah’s claims, emphasizing that they lacked credibility and were designed to destabilize the current administration.
