By John Ogunsemore
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has cautioned former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore against dragging Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Tinubu into the association’s drama.
This is contained in a statement signed by National Public Relations Officer (PRO) of NANS, Comrade Adeyemi Samson Ajasa and sent to Daily Sun on Thursday.
Ajasa accused Sowore of consistently trying to hijack the student movement he once rode to relevance by spreading spurious claims about the body.
“But his latest attempt to tie Seyi Tinubu to a violent disruption at a botched NANS inauguration is as desperate as it is dishonest,” Ajasa said.
He condemned the claim made on Sowore’s online news platform, Sahara Reporters that Seyi Tinubu allegedly led thugs to the Wells Carlton Hotel in Abuja to attack attendees at a purported NANS event and maim supporters of one Atiku Abubakar Isah, a self-proclaimed president of the association.
“Isah, whose claim to leadership has been flatly rejected by the broader NANS structure, is now crying wolf, going so far as to accuse Seyi Tinubu of plotting an attempt on his life,” the statement reads in part.
Describing the claim as laughable, Ajasa maintained that Seyi Tinubu was not at the venue and played no part in the event.
“Even hotel management has confirmed that the hall was booked under false pretences by the same Atiku Isah, who concealed the real purpose of the event,” he said.
Ajasa added, “This was no surprise. Deception seems to be a running theme in this entire charade.
“It is far more likely that Isah’s rivals, seeing through the backdoor attempt to force his presidency through spectacle, stormed the venue to prevent the fiction from becoming fact. That is the internal politics of NANS. It has nothing to do with Seyi Tinubu, who has never meddled in its affairs and has no reason to start now.
“But Sowore sees an opportunity, not to tell the truth, but to sling mud. After all, he has never recovered from the fact that today’s student leaders have long rejected his manipulative grip. They wised up years ago. They saw that behind the “activist” mask was a man whose only real ideology is self-promotion and protest for pay.
“When that influence crumbled, he resorted to what he knows best: smear campaigns, media blackmail, and headline hunting.”
Ajasa stated that Sowore has been targeting the president’s son due to “envy”, noting that “Seyi has achieved national goodwill without theatrics”.
“He has earned respect through quiet but impactful work, strategic thinking, and a long-standing commitment to youth empowerment and development.
“NANS leaders, regardless of who wins, will always seek him out, not because he demands it, but because he has built value. That is influence. And it is something Sowore cannot manufacture through sensational headlines,” he stressed.
Ajasa advised media organisations against allowing their platforms to be used for blackmail.
“These tactics belong to the past, alongside the outdated ambitions of men who refuse to accept that their time has passed.
“Let us be clear. This is not about students, activism, or even truth. It is about a man who cannot let go of a stage that no longer belongs to him,” he stated.