FCT, Abuja – Atiku Abubakar has said President Bola Tinubu must urgently rein in his family members, particularly his son, Seyi Tinubu, to maintain order.
The call by the presidential hopeful was contained in a statement on Friday, May 2, signed by Paul Ibe, a key member of Atiku’s media office. The statement was obtained by Legit.ng.
Legit.ng recalls that Atiku Abubakar Isah, an individual who claimed to be the president of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), recently accused Seyi of assault, bribery, and attempted abduction.
Pictures of a battered man who appeared to be Isah trended on X (formerly Twitter).
During a press conference on Wednesday, April 30, Isah alleged that Seyi and the minister of youth development Ayodele Olawande, offered him a N100 million bribe in Lagos to promote the president.
According to Isah, he rejected the offer, stating that he could not promote a president who had not delivered results. He claimed that, upon refusal, plans were made to abduct him.
Reacting to the allegations, Atiku alleged that Seyi is “determined to purchase political loyalty for his father by any means necessary, including coercion, violence, and intimidation”.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain said:
“The serious allegations made by the President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Comrade Atiku Isah — alleging physical assault, abduction, and inducement at the hands of Seyi Tinubu — are deeply alarming and strike at the core of democratic norms and civil liberty. That such grave accusations are being levelled against a member of the first family is both disturbing and dangerous.
“Had this incident ended fatally, it would have been recorded among the growing list of atrocities committed by criminal elements in the country. That it is allegedly tied to the President’s own son makes it even more horrifying. What’s worse is the emerging suggestion that even top security officials are not beyond Seyi Tinubu’s overreaching influence — an unacceptable compromise of state institutions.
“It is intolerable that the first family would seek to subjugate the NANS — or any civil society group — through threats, bribes, or brute force. Nigeria is a democratic republic, not a monarchy handed down to one family.”
Furthermore, Atiku urged “well-meaning Nigerians” to compulsorily speak out, adding that the alleged actions of the president’s family must be condemned unequivocally.
Atiku said:
“We must remind them that the presidency is a public trust, not a private inheritance.”
NANS ‘leader’ vs Seyi Tinubu; Atiku says not involved
Speaking further, the former vice-president alleged that there are attempts to drag him into the purported scandal by alleging a political alliance with Isah.
Describing it as “baseless, malicious, and desperate”, Atiku asserted that Isah’s public stances must be evaluated based on fact.
Atiku said:
“The allegations of abuse he has made demand an independent investigation, especially since the very agencies meant to protect citizens appear complicit in his ordeal.
“We issue a clear warning: nothing must happen to this young man. Any harm to him will not go unnoticed or unchallenged. Nigerians deserve truth, accountability, and a leadership that respects the rule of law — not a regime that weaponises power to silence dissent.”
Seyi Tinubu denies involvement in NANS crisis
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the controversy surrounding the leadership of NANS took a twist on Friday, May 2, as Seyi Tinubu denied allegations linking him to the internal crisis rocking the association.
In a statement posted via his Instagram account, Seyi refuted the accusations made by Atiku Isah, who claimed to be the NANS President, describing them as false and defamatory.