The media office of Atiku Abubakar has condemned the recent allegations of kidnapping and coercion levelled against Seyi Tinubu by the President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Atiku Isah.
In a statement signed by Paul Ibe on Friday, the office described the allegations as disturbing and dangerous, stressing that Nigeria is not a monarchy handed down to Mr Tinubu’s family.
“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,” the statement read.
On Wednesday, Mr Isah recounted the events leading up to an attack on his inauguration ceremony in Abuja, saying the younger Tinubu attempted to bribe him with N100 million to influence his ambitions and promote Mr Tinubu.
The student leader said, “I was abducted on the 15th of April. I was stripped naked, beaten seriously in collaboration with the MD of NTA. The MD of NTA was our package to make an involuntary statement that I have renounced my position as NANS president. I did that to gain my freedom, but immediately, I released a press statement that I was forced under duress. Because I was naked, I was beaten. They claimed they would share the video.”
The younger Tinubu, however, described the allegations as baseless and an attempt to defame his character.
Reacting via his Instagram on Friday, he said, “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, nor did I visit any location with thugs.”
Mr Ibe reiterated the urgent need for Mr Tinubu to call his family members, especially his son, to order, accusing the younger Tinubu of a determination “to purchase political loyalty for his father by any means necessary, including coercion, violence, and intimidation”.
He described the alleged abduction and attack as reflective of “an unacceptable compromise of state institutions,” noting the situation would have been horrifying if it had ended fatally.
Mr Ibe condemned attempts to drag Mr Abubakar into the matter, urging Nigerians to rise and speak out against the actions of Mr Tinubu’s family.
The statement noted, “Attempts to drag former Vice President Atiku Abubakar into this scandal by alleging a political alliance with Comrade Isah are baseless, malicious, and desperate. Atiku Abubakar’s meeting with Isah was centered solely on education reform and improving student welfare, which also includes institutions he founded, like the American University of Nigeria and AUN Academy.”
It added, “Well-meaning Nigerians must rise to speak out. The actions of the President’s family — specifically their rabid drive to consolidate political power through manipulation and fear — must be condemned unequivocally. We must remind them that the presidency is a public trust, not a private inheritance.”
The statement further noted the allegations must be investigated, warning that any attempt to harm Mr Isah would not go unpunished.
“Comrade Isah’s advocacy and public stance must be evaluated based on fact, not fiction. 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,” Mr Ibe said.
He added, “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.”
