Seyi Tinubu fingered in NANS inauguration venue attack
*As Okunomo accuses Nigerian President's son of weakening students body's core mandate *After new NANS president claimed Seyi Tinubu led thugs to disrupt his inauguration *Seyi Tinubu denies report, threatens legal action *But Nigerians look forward to his legal action amidst open claim of being seen physically present at venue of event
By KEMI KASUMU
He questioned the legitimacy of Seyi’s role in the students body, stating that only students actively studying in Nigerian institutions and those who had served in the association are recognised as stakeholders.
Former Senate President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Henry Okunomo, has accused Seyi Tinubu, son of Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, of meddling in the affairs of the association, thereby weakening its core mandate.
Okunomo, who spoke on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Wednesday April 30, 2025, said Seyi’s involvement has made NANS “porous” and diverted its focus from advocating for students welfare.
“With the involvement of the president’s son in the organisation, he has done everything possible to make the association porous,” Okunomo said.
According to him, “I am afraid we might not become anything useful in the organisation except for a few who have the association at heart.”
He questioned the legitimacy of Seyi’s role in the students body, stating that only students actively studying in Nigerian institutions and those who had served in the association are recognised as stakeholders.
“What is his interest in NANS? He wasn’t a stakeholder, he didn’t serve. The only thing that qualifies you is if you have served and are a student in Nigeria. If you don’t meet these criteria, you can’t call yourself a stakeholder,” he added.
Okunomo further alleged that Seyi Tinubu is using his influence to intimidate individuals within NANS, thereby weakening the organisation’s independence and focus.
His comments follow claims by newly elected NANS President, Comrade Atiku Isah Abubakar, who accused Seyi Tinubu of disrupting his inauguration in Abuja.
Abubakar alleged that Seyi led thugs to the event venue, locked down the premises, and stood outside his hotel room with the intention of harming him.
Responding via Instagram, Seyi Tinubu dismissed the claims as entirely baseless and defamatory.
He wrote, “Enough is enough with these fake stories and defamation of my character.” The message was accompanied by a screenshot of the report, which he labelled as “fake news.”
Sources close to Seyi Tinubu indicate that legal actions may be pursued if what they termed defamatory attacks continue.
All eyes are now on the president’s son as his threat of legal action is anxiously awaited in the wake open claim by fir NANS Senate president Henry Okunomo, who said “I saw Seyi Tinubu drove in” to the venue of the inauguration” and after he left, the manager of the hotel said we can no longer use the venue for the event and said we have paid for it and we will use it. I said we may not use it for another event but this, we will.”
The manager, according to Okunomo, said there is an order from the president’s son that the venue should not be allowed for the event.
This corroborated the Atiku Isah Abubakar’s earlier claim that Seyi Tinubu led thugs to disrupt his inauguration as NANS president.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH DETAILS OF OKUNOMO’S CHANNELSTV INTERVIEW
