…Reaffirms Commitment to a United NANS and Unwavering Support for Tinubu Administration
Joel Ajayi
The President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Comrade Olusola Oladoja, on Friday declared Comrade Atiku Abubakar Isah—who claims to be the President of NANS—persona non grata over what he described as malicious and baseless allegations aimed at tarnishing the reputation of Mr. Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Atiku Isah had alleged that thugs loyal to Seyi Tinubu stormed The Wells Carlton Hotel in Asokoro, Abuja, wielding cutlasses and firearms, disrupting an event, assaulting attendees, looting property, and forcing dignitaries like Senator Ibrahim Shekarau and former Governor Idris Wada to flee. He further claimed the attack was politically motivated and linked to a bribe offer intended to silence his self-proclaimed leadership.
Addressing a world press conference in Abuja, Comrade Oladoja condemned these claims as part of a politically motivated smear campaign backed by certain opposition figures, whose identities he stated are known and would be revealed in due course.
“We have convened this briefing to address the malicious and baseless allegations propagated by Atiku Isah, who falsely claims to be the President of NANS,” Oladoja said. “His actions are part of an orchestrated campaign to sow discord within NANS and damage the reputation of Mr. Seyi Tinubu.”
Oladoja emphasized that Atiku Isah’s accusations are not only unfounded but also a desperate attempt to undermine the unity of Nigerian students and the credibility of the Tinubu administration.
“For clarity, NANS is united under legitimate leadership,” he continued. “On February 26, 2022, at the Old Parade Ground in Abuja, Nigerian students conducted a transparent, free, and fair election that duly elected me, Comrade Olusola Oladoja, as the National President, along with a full executive council. Atiku Isah, by contrast, operates without any elected executive backing his self-acclaimed presidency.”
He challenged Isah to seek redress through legal channels if he disputes the election outcome, adding that the records of the election and inauguration are publicly available and verifiable.
Oladoja dismissed the allegations against Seyi Tinubu as completely fabricated, noting the absence of specific details such as dates, credible witnesses, or verifiable evidence. He further claimed that intelligence and photographic evidence link Atiku Isah to opposition figures within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other political entities.
“Seyi Tinubu is a private citizen known for his peaceful and constructive engagement with Nigerian youths. The idea that he would orchestrate any form of violence is both absurd and inconsistent with his well-documented character,” Oladoja stated.
Reaffirming NANS’s support for President Tinubu’s administration, Comrade Oladoja said: “NANS, under my leadership, firmly supports the administration’s commitment to youth and student welfare. We are students, not politicians, and our focus remains on championing the rights and interests of Nigerian students.”
He called on the public, media, and relevant authorities to disregard Atiku Isah’s claims and urged security agencies to investigate the sources of his funding and the political forces behind the campaign of misinformation.
“NANS will not be distracted by such antics,” he concluded. “We remain committed to working with the Tinubu administration to promote education and youth development in Nigeria. Atiku Isah’s lies will not prevail; truth and justice will.”
