Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has been at the centre of controversy in recent weeks following his Ramadan outreach across several states, particularly in the northern part of the country.

What began as a seemingly charitable initiative has since sparked controversy, particularly in the North, where it has been met with scepticism, criticism and even outright rejection.

Despite Seyi’s insistence that his actions have no political undertones and are merely part of his personal humanitarian efforts, many critics view them as a strategic campaign move ahead of the 2027 presidential election. The backlash has been particularly intense in the North, where some groups and individuals accuse him of exploiting the economic hardship in the region to score political points for his father.

Seyi’s Ramadan gestures, which included distributing food items like rice and cooked meals to fasting Muslims, were widely shared on social media. Under his Renewed Hope Youth Engagement initiative, he had visited states like Kano, Yobe, Adamawa and Sokoto. He also met with former Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar, in Niger State and immediate past President Muhammadu Buhari in Kaduna.

The visits had also included meetings with Kano State governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf; Kaduna State governor, Uba Sani; the influential Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi; and the Emir of Zazzau, Ambassador Ahmad Nuhu Bamalli. He also engaged with prominent business figures, religious leaders and traditional rulers.

However, the reactions that have since trailed these visits have been mixed. While some hailed the initiative as a welcome relief for the poor, others saw it as a calculated political move disguised as philanthropy.

A viral video from a northern critic captured the outrage many feel about the gesture. In the video, a Hausa-speaking narrator condemned the initiative, questioning why Seyi would distribute rice and Danwake (a popular meal made from dough, bean flour, and potash) instead of engaging in meaningful empowerment projects. The narrator described the act as an insult, accusing the president’s son of seeking political favour amid growing economic frustration in the region.

The backlash against Seyi Tinubu’s Ramadan outreach appeared to intensify following his visit to Kano, where youths from different political affiliations were seen singing and dancing during the iftar ceremony. Clips of people queuing to receive cooked meals circulated widely, drawing comparisons with his interventions in Lagos, which included cash gifts for small-scale business owners and computer equipment for students.

These criticisms seemingly triggered his emotional outburst in Yola, Adamawa State. In a now-viral video from Yola, the president’s son defended his actions.

“It was never politics, but they keep coming for me, they keep coming for my family, they keep coming for your father, they keep coming for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the greatest president in the history of Nigeria,” he said.

He went on to praise his father’s leadership, insisting that he had prioritised youth empowerment and economic growth.

“He is the only president that has kept your people at home, from when he was governor to when he became president, the only president that considers youths, the only president that created a platform for young people to fly.

“The only president that created an economy that has benefitted everybody, the only president that is not trying to enrich his own pocket,” he stated.

However, rather than quelling the controversy, his remarks coincided with fresh criticism when reports emerged of youths looting his Ramadan palliatives meant for distribution in Gombe State. While some saw the incident as a reflection of economic hardship, others argued that it underscored the widespread resentment toward Seyi’s intervention.

One of the vocal critics of Seyi’s gesture, Bello Galadanchi, a social commentator and content creator, told Daily Trust that the pushback against the president’’ son stems from a growing realisation among northerners that his initiative is not purely humanitarian but rather a political strategy.

“We’ve emphasised time and again that voting based on stomach infrastructure—receiving rice or spaghetti—is one of the reasons people are suffering now. The message is finally resonating, and people are beginning to recognise these patterns,” he said.

While acknowledging that opposition figures may be looking for opportunities to weaken the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Galadanchi argued that Seyi himself handed them the opportunity on a silver platter.

“Seyi’s outburst in Yola, where he declared that his father remains the best president for Nigeria, played him into the hands of the opposition,” he noted.

Growing discontent with Tinubu’s presidency

Beyond Seyi’s gesture, critics argue that the frustration in the North extends to the broader policies of the Tinubu administration. The National Chairman of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), Yabagi Sani, said the backlash against Seyi is a reflection of the discontent many northerners feel toward the president himself.

Speaking on Channels Television, Sani argued that the widespread economic hardship in the North has intensified resentment towards the president, with many feeling disproportionately affected by his policies.

“There is no country where you don’t find families coming together to help their own. It’s allowed. It’s a natural thing that happens. So, I don’t blame Seyi for doing what he is doing. But I think they need to be more diplomatic about it.

“For instance, if you say you’re doing Iftar and at the event, you are singing ‘On Your Mandate We Shall Stand’ and dancing, it sends the wrong message. They should have done it in a manner that aligns with the teachings of Islam,” he said.

Sani also noted that while northern politicians also distribute food to their constituents, the backlash against Seyi is different because of the high level of anger against his father’s administration.

This perspective emerged following a viral video of Senator Abdul Ningi (PDP/Bauchi Central) distributing what appeared to be N1,000 notes to his constituents. While Ningi’s gesture did not attract significant criticism, a commentator argued that Seyi Tinubu’s intervention was seen as offensive because he was perceived as an “outsider” and, more importantly, as an extension of the person widely blamed for the country’s economic hardship—the president.

Contrasting treatment of regions fuels resentment

Another key point of contention has been the perceived disparity in Seyi’s approach to the different regions. In one of Galadanchi’s videos, he questioned why the president’s son was seen providing capital and business equipment for young entrepreneurs in Lagos while distributing only cooked food in the North.

This sentiment was echoed by Shamsuddeen Bala Mohammed, the son of Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, who criticised the initiative and called for more sustainable empowerment programmes.

Taking to social media, Shamsuddeen wrote: “Please, when coming to Bauchi for the #RHYE, empower our youths with employment, Keke NAPEP, money to start businesses, ICT infrastructure, and training for crypto trading, among other things.

“We, the youths of Bauchi, don’t need rice and food in nylon bags during Ramadan. Teach our youths how to fish rather than feed them for one day. They are not beggars.”

His comment resonated with many northerners, who believe that distributing food during Ramadan does little to address the long-term economic hardship facing the region, especially when they’ve tied the hardship to the economic policies of the president.

Condemnation from northern groups

The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) also condemned Seyi’s outreach, with its National Coordinator, Jamilu Charanchi, arguing that reducing governance to mere food distribution is an insult to the people.

“It is unfortunate that the government has subjected its citizens to severe hardship and poverty to the extent that they see a small portion of rice as a major gesture or contribution towards the nation’s development,” Charanchi said.

He argued that the deepening poverty in the North has left many people preoccupied with securing daily meals, which politicians now exploit for political gain.

Similarly, the Northern Comrades Movement of Nigeria (NCMN) described the initiative as a political stunt. Its Secretary-General, Ahmed Ashir, stated, “It was a political stunt to seek favour ahead of the 2027 election. Northerners don’t appreciate it.” (Daily Trust: Text, Excluding Headline)