Student groups across Nigeria have issued strong warnings to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, accusing him of interfering in student leadership. The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and the National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS) have condemned Atiku and activist Omoyele Sowore for allegedly sponsoring factionalism within the student body.
In a statement signed by Samson Adeyemi, NANS’ National Public Relations Officer, the association claimed that certain elements, under the influence of Atiku and Sowore, were intentionally sowing division in NANS. The statement went further to accuse them of trying to manipulate student leadership for political purposes.
“We have information that individuals, influenced by Atiku and Sowore, are trying to destabilize NANS and create divisions,” the statement read. “We will mobilize protests nationwide if these actions continue.”
The dispute comes in the wake of the emergence of a factional NANS president, Atiku Isah. Isah recently accused Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Tinubu, of offering him N100 million to promote the President’s interests, an offer he claimed to have rejected. However, NANS countered this allegation, accusing Isah of accepting funds from political figures to falsely claim the NANS presidency and cause chaos within the student movement.
“We are aware of secret meetings between Atiku and his cousin Isah to infiltrate and destabilize the student movement,” NANS stated, urging Atiku to “call his associates to order or risk being declared persona non grata across Nigerian campuses.”
Meanwhile, the President of NAPS, Eshiofune Paul-Oghayan, described Isah’s allegations as “fabricated and politically motivated.” In a statement issued from Kaduna on Friday, Paul-Oghayan defended Seyi Tinubu, calling him “a strategic bridge between Nigerian youths and the state,” and denied any interference in student leadership. “This attempt to malign Seyi’s character is unacceptable,” he stated.
The controversy over the NANS leadership has also sparked action from other youth groups. The South-East Youth Stakeholders Council, a prominent regional group, has given Atiku Isah a 48-hour ultimatum to publicly apologize for what they called his “persistent blackmail and misinformation” against Seyi Tinubu.
In a statement, the council’s chairman, Eric Uwakwe, condemned Isah’s claims to the NANS presidency and accused him of trying to derail Seyi Tinubu’s alleged 2027 gubernatorial aspirations for Lagos State. “The propaganda campaign must end,” Uwakwe said, adding that the group would “match words with action” if Isah failed to apologize within the given timeframe.
Uwakwe also pledged full support for Seyi Tinubu, stating that the group would even fund his gubernatorial nomination form should he decide to run for Lagos State governor in 2027.
The ongoing controversy highlights the growing influence of student bodies in Nigerian politics and the high stakes involved in student leadership. As tensions rise, all eyes will be on Atiku and the student groups to see how this drama unfolds.
