Atiku Isah, President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), has alleged that Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Tinubu, offered him a N100 million bribe to influence his leadership decisions and later orchestrated his abduction and assault when he refused.
According to a report by SaharaReporters, Atiku who spoke at a press conference on Wednesday in Abuja, detailed events surrounding an attack on his inauguration.
He claimed that Seyi approached him with the offer in an effort to sway his stance.
“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,” Atiku said.
“You cannot ask me to begin to promote a president who has not done something for me to say he has done it. If he does something good, I will promote him. We will support him as the president and commander-in-chief. But where he is, you cannot say I should keep quiet.”
Atiku stated that after rejecting the offer, plans were made to abduct him.
“I was abducted on the 15th of April. I was stripped naked, beaten seriously…..,he said.
Despite the alleged threats, Atiku expressed his resolve to continue his leadership role.
“I made it clear that even if I am shot, I will still come to this hall. The inauguration proceeded, and I was announced as president. I want Nigerians to know what has happened and that we will not give up. Seyi Tinubu can do anything he wants, but we are determined,” he said.
He criticized the inauguration’s organization, claiming it was rushed.
“You can see the organisation was not correct. The MC was told to start without any protocol,” he said, emphasizing the need to rid NANS of cultism and criminal influences.
“We will fight the cultists. We will take away the cultists and touts from NANS. They are just a bunch of criminals. When politicians want to do anything, they recruit them, and that is what we have come to fight.”
However, in 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.
“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,” Seyi wrote.
“These allegations by Atiku Isah are completely fictional,” he added.