The son of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Seyi Tinubu, has washed his hands off any meeting, discussion or assault involving the President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Atiku Abubakar Isah.
Isah had alleged that at a meeting with Seyi Tinubu, he was offered a N100 million bribe to drop from the NANS election, which he refused, leading to subsequent beatings inflicted on him.
However, the young Tinubu dismissed claims that he led thugs to attack Atiku’s faction during a recent NANS event in Abuja.
Giving his own side of the story via a statement on his Instagram page on Friday, Seyi Tinubu said he had “never knowingly met” Comrade Atiku Isah and strongly refuted all allegations linking him to any act of violence or political interference in student affairs.
He wrote: “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.
“These allegations by Atiku Isah are completely fictional.”
Seyi’s statement answered reports of Atiku Isah alleging that the President’s son was involved in orchestrating an attack against him during a factional NANS inauguration.
Isah had accused Seyi of backing a rival faction within the students’ body to undermine his leadership.
Atiku had made his allegations at a press conference on Wednesday, recounting the events leading up to an attack on his inauguration ceremony in Abuja.
He explained that he was invited to Lagos to meet with Seyi Tinubu and the Minister of Youth Development (Ayodele Olawande).
Upon meeting, Atiku said, “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.”
According to him, his refusal to be bought triggered “a violent response,” with thugs reportedly connected to Seyi Tinubu disrupting the inauguration event held on Tuesday.
