A recent development involving Seyi Tinubu, the son of President Bola Tinubu, utilizing a presidential jet to attend a polo game in Kano State has sparked a heated debate on social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
The controversy ignited when journalist Jaafar Jaafar took to X to criticize Seyi’s use of a presidential jet for non-official purposes. He drew a parallel with a similar incident involving President Muhammadu Buhari’s daughter, Hanan, who had used a presidential jet for a photo tour.
Sharing photos on X, Jaafar expressed his disapproval, stating, “Here’s Tinubu’s golden child, Seyi, traveling in a presidential jet to watch polo in Kano. But this trend did not start today. Buhari set the bad example when he allowed his daughter, Hanan, to travel in a presidential jet for a photo tour in Bauchi. Even if our laws are vague on this, one thing is clear. This is an offense to the moral code of leadership.”
In response to Jaafar’s post, X users expressed a range of opinions on the matter:
- User HGBashar criticized both President Buhari and Seyi Tinubu, emphasizing the need for leaders to uphold the dignity of their positions and respect ethical and moral standards.
- User belloinuwa pointed out the use of special forces unit as Seyi Tinubu’s bodyguards and highlighted concerns about the culture of impunity.
- User buzuzu7 raised concerns about the culture of self-serving leaders coming to power and questioned the alignment of certain individuals with such leaders.
- Chiding Jaafar, user GoziconC defended Seyi Tinubu’s use of the presidential jet, suggesting that individuals should not judge until they are in similar positions of power.
- User Aiesmerh argued that it is a global practice for first families to use private means of transportation and expressed skepticism about the news story’s relevance.
- User Masiobi defended Seyi Tinubu’s actions, stating that the individual’s wealth existed before entering public office and emphasizing that the nation faces more significant issues.
The debate surrounding the use of government resources for non-official purposes continues to generate discussion on social media, reflecting broader concerns about ethical standards and public expectations regarding the behavior of public officials and their families.