Seyi Tinubu, the son of President Bola Tinubu, was on Sunday flown to Kano in a presidential jet to watch the finals of this year’s edition of the Kano International Polo Tournament.
Witnesses say the presidential jet conveying Seyi Tinubu and his friends landed in Kano around midday on Sunday. He was said to have been received at the airport by some officials of the presidency, the Kano State government and the Kano Polo Club.
He was thereafter chauffeured to the Usman Dantata Polo Ground amidst tight security provided by gun-wielding detachments of the Nigeria Police Force and the State Security Service.
After the final matches of the two-week tournament were played and awards handed to winners, the waiting presidential jet then transported Seyi Tinubu and his party back to Abuja, the nation’s capital, where he currently lives.
The president’s son attended the event simply to watch a sport he loves. He is a polo enthusiast and is the patron of the STL Polo Team in Lagos. He was part of the players that represented the club at last year’s Lagos Polo Tournament.
His use of the presidential plane for a private event to satisfy his personal passion immediately triggered a firestorm of criticism by some Nigerians. Jaafar Jaafar, a London-based Nigerian journalist, brimmed with anger on X (formerly Twitter), saying, “Here’s Tinubu’s golden child, Seyi, travelling in a presidential jet to watch polo in Kano… Even if our laws are vague on this, one thing is clear: this is an offence to the moral code of leadership.”
Reacting to the journalist’s comment, another user of the micro-blogging platform, who identified himself as Aliyu, said, “The use of presidential jets for personal or non-official purposes by public officials can raise concerns about transparency and accountability. It’s essential for leaders to uphold ethical standards and set a good example for the public. Transparency and adherence to rules can help combat corruption and ensure that government resources are used responsibly.”
“What about the misuse of a special forces unit as his bodyguards? another X user, Bello Anka, said. “See them in the pictures. The other day, he went skateboarding in Abuja with them running by his side. This is just a continuation of the culture of impunity from the previous government, perhaps on an even grander scale this time.”
But even before Sunday’s Kano trip, the younger Tinubu is known for travelling regularly and extensively with the presidential jet either in the company of his father or in those of his associates, a behaviour that has continued to irritate not a few taxpayers who lament inappropriate deployment and abuse of a key national asset.
In July this year, he was photographed as he made to board a presidential jet. His destination and those he was travelling with remained unknown.
The controversy over the inappropriate use of the planes in the presidential air fleet first emerged on January 9, 2020, when Hanan, the youngest daughter of then-President Muhammadu Buhari, flew to Bauchi, Northeast Nigeria, on a presidential jet, in what was clearly a private trip.
She and the presidency were roundly condemned over the matter, with Farooq Kperogi, an American-based Nigerian professor, describing the act as an “unprecedented abuse of presidential powers.”
Recalling what happened during the Buhari era vis-avis Seyi Tinubu’s Sunday pleasure trip to Kano on the presidential jet, another X user, Bashar, said, “Buhari merely sought the title of ‘President’ without understanding or respecting the sanctity of the office. The audacity to let his daughter, Hanan, use a presidential jet for a mere photo tour in Bauchi was the beginning of this mockery.
“Now we see Tinubu’s protege, Seyi, hopping on the same jet for a polo match in Kano. It’s not just about the laws, it’s about ethics, morals, and respect for the position. Our leaders must do more than just occupy an office; they must uphold its dignity.”
