Tension As Remi Tinubu, Seyi Reportedly Clash Over APC Youth Mobilisation Leadership
A reported disagreement between Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, and Seyi Tinubu, the son of President Bola Tinubu, has reportedly emerged over the control of youth mobilisation efforts within the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The alleged disagreement centres on the leadership of the APC Presidential Campaign Council’s youth mobilisation directorate and the activities of two political support groups associated with the president’s family: the CityBoy Movement, founded by Seyi Tinubu, and the Mummy’s Men Movement, which was launched by supporters of the First Lady.
According to a report by Peoples Gazette, tensions reportedly intensified following changes to the leadership structure of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, with competing interests allegedly emerging over who should lead the party’s youth mobilisation efforts.
On Tuesday, the campaign council announced changes to its leadership structure, including the creation of a directorate for stage organisation and management and adjustments to the youth mobilisation directorate.
In a statement signed by Imo State Governor and council secretary, Hope Uzodimma, the council appointed Minister of Youth Development Ayodele Olawande as director of youth mobilisation, while APC National Youth Leader Dayo Israel was named deputy director.
However, a source cited in the report alleged that the arrangement did not sit well with the First Lady’s camp, which reportedly preferred Israel to head the directorate.
The source claimed that Olawande was perceived by the First Lady’s camp as being aligned with Seyi Tinubu and his CityBoy Movement, an organisation mobilising support for President Tinubu’s anticipated second-term bid.
According to the report, the push for Israel’s elevation was allegedly connected to efforts to limit Seyi’s growing influence within the president’s political campaign structure.
Dayo Israel Reacts To Campaign Council Appointment
Following the announcement, AI-generated posters congratulating Israel on an alleged promotion to director of the youth mobilisation directorate circulated on social media.
Israel shared the posters on his X account and commented on his position within the party’s hierarchy.
When questions arose about whether he could rank above Olawande, a serving minister, Israel argued that his membership of the APC National Working Committee placed him higher in the party’s hierarchy.
“In political ranking, a National Working Committee member is senior to a minister or equivalent,” he said.
The development has brought renewed attention to the reported rivalry between the CityBoy Movement and the Mummy’s Men Movement, both of which are associated with efforts to mobilise support for Tinubu ahead of the 2027 elections.
Rival Support Groups Fuel Speculation
Seyi Tinubu’s CityBoy Movement has organised political activities and mobilised supporters, particularly young Nigerians, in support of his father’s anticipated re-election campaign.
Meanwhile, the Mummy’s Men Movement has emerged as another platform promoting support for the president’s second-term ambition.
In August, Dayo Israel announced the group on Facebook, describing it as a movement inspired by the First Lady.
“This is Mummy’s Men’s Movement. Inspired by First Lady Mrs Tinubu — Our Mummy,” he wrote.
Israel also clarified that the movement was open to women, young people and Nigerians across different age groups.
However, a source quoted by Peoples Gazette alleged that the initiative was established partly to counter the growing influence of the CityBoy Movement.
“The First Lady does not like the CityBoy Movement and doesn’t want to have anything to do with it,” the source claimed.
The allegation has not been independently verified.
The report also recounted an alleged incident during the commissioning of the President Muhammadu Buhari Estate in Abeokuta, Ogun State, in August.
According to the source, the First Lady allegedly directed her security detail to contact the state director of the Department of State Services, Atimibara Digitemie, to prevent members of the CityBoy Movement from attending the event.
The source claimed that the group had planned to attend the commissioning because it coincided with the inauguration of its officials in Ogun State.
The inauguration was subsequently rescheduled, according to the account. However, the circumstances surrounding the alleged intervention and the rescheduling have not been independently established.
Tinubu’s Praise For Seyi’s Movement
President Tinubu’s public endorsement of his son’s political activities has also featured in discussions surrounding the reported disagreement.
During a meeting with members of the CityBoy Movement at the State House, the president praised Seyi and his associates for their efforts to mobilise young Nigerians ahead of the 2027 elections.
Tinubu described the movement as a significant political initiative, commending its organisers for building a support network without demanding official positions or titles.
“Now permit me a personal moment, with my son, Seyi. I have watched what you’ve started with City Boy,” the president said.
He added that Seyi and his associates had invested their time effectively and had not demanded political appointments in exchange for their activities.
The president also praised the movement’s organisational structure, describing its membership as substantial and verifiable.
A source cited by Peoples Gazette alleged that the president’s public recognition of the movement angered the First Lady, who reportedly felt that Seyi’s organisation was receiving disproportionate recognition for youth mobilisation.
The source further claimed that the First Lady’s political engagements and donations were part of efforts to strengthen her own support network.
These allegations have not been independently confirmed.
APC Leaders Raise Concerns Over Internal Divisions
The reported disagreement comes amid growing concerns among senior APC figures about internal divisions within the ruling party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Three days earlier, Senator Ali Ndume warned that personal interests and internal disagreements posed a greater threat to the APC than opposition parties.
Ndume, who represents Borno South Senatorial District, made the remarks during an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time, where he supported Vice President Kashim Shettima’s concerns about divisions within the party.
The senator criticised politicians who publicly expressed loyalty to Tinubu but allegedly acted against his interests behind the scenes.
“It’s not that I don’t like Tinubu’s crested cap. You don’t have to fake the liking of somebody. You wear that cap in the afternoon and trample upon it in the night?” Ndume said.
He argued that the party’s major challenge was not a lack of political support but the conduct of those responsible for promoting it.
“We have a product. The marketers are not honest. Those that are supposed to sell our product are busy caring so much about themselves, not about selling their product,” he said.
Ndume also argued that opposition parties, including the African Democratic Congress and the Nigeria Democratic Congress, were not the ruling party’s biggest challenge.
Similarly, Shettima recently expressed concern about internal contradictions within the APC while speaking at the unveiling of the campaign head office of Arewa for Asiwaju, a northern coalition supporting the Tinubu-Shettima ticket.
The vice president said internal disagreements worried him more than the strength of opposition parties.
“Honestly, I am not afraid of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). I am not afraid of a diminished Peter Obi. But I am more afraid of internal contradictions within our household,” Shettima said.
He urged party members to unite and warned against supporting Tinubu’s presidential campaign while undermining APC governors and other candidates contesting state-level elections.
Although the alleged disagreement between the First Lady’s camp and Seyi Tinubu’s political network remains unverified, the competing youth mobilisation initiatives and changes to the campaign council’s leadership have drawn attention to the political calculations surrounding the APC’s preparations for the 2027 elections.
