Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has issued a sharp warning to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, urging him to bring his family members under control — particularly his son, Seyi Tinubu, whom he accused of using coercive tactics to secure political loyalty on behalf of his father.
In a statement released on Friday by his media aide, Paul Ibe, Atiku responded to alarming allegations raised by Comrade Atiku Isah, President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS). According to reports gathered by Naturenex, Isah accused Seyi Tinubu of physical assault, abduction, and attempts at inducement — claims that Atiku described as deeply troubling and a direct threat to Nigeria’s democratic fabric.
Atiku emphasized that having such grave accusations tied to a member of the first family was not only dangerous but also posed a disturbing precedent for state governance.
He stated, “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.”
The former Vice President condemned any attempt by the presidency to intimidate student leaders or civil society through force or manipulation. “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.”
He called on Nigerians to resist such excesses and made it clear that the presidency should not be treated like a personal inheritance. “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.”
Addressing attempts to link him to Comrade Isah’s activism, Atiku dismissed the claims as desperate and baseless. He explained, “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.”
He stressed the need for an independent investigation into the student leader’s allegations, given concerns that even security agencies might have been compromised. “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.”
Atiku concluded by issuing a serious warning to those involved: “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 weaponizes power to silence dissent.”
