Atiku Isah, the factional president of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), has issued a public apology to Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Tinubu, retracting earlier allegations of bribery, abduction, and assault.
In a statement titled “Setting the Records Straight/Public Apology to Seyi Tinubu”, posted on his Facebook page on Wednesday, May 8, 2025, Isah admitted that his claims — including an alleged N100 million bribe offer to promote the president — were based on misinformation. He attributed the source of the false narrative to his rival, Olusola Ladoja, who he claimed manipulated him in a bid to seize control of NANS.
“I was fed lies and half-truths by Ladoja Olusola, who had his eyes on my office and wanted me removed through any means,” Isah stated. “The allegations I made — about being offered money, abducted, beaten, and forced to resign — were influenced by the deceptive counsel I received.”
Isah had previously accused Seyi Tinubu and Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, of offering him a N100 million bribe in Lagos to promote President Tinubu — a claim Seyi Tinubu strongly denied. He further alleged he was abducted on April 15, stripped naked, assaulted, and taken to the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) where a forced statement of resignation was recorded under duress.
However, in his retraction, Isah admitted that the incident and claims, including suggestions that Seyi Tinubu led thugs to his inauguration venue and had threatened his life, were entirely false. “In fact, I later found out that Mr Seyi was nowhere near the venue,” he confessed.
He also claimed Ladoja warned him in private that Tinubu’s son could order his assassination and suppress any investigation through police intervention — a warning he now says was part of the manipulation.
The controversy had stirred sharp divisions within the student body and drew public concern over the worsening leadership crisis in NANS. While various student groups had taken sides, Wednesday’s apology marks a dramatic reversal and potentially a turning point in the ongoing dispute.
As of press time, neither Seyi Tinubu nor the Ministry of Youth Development has issued a formal response to the apology.
