‘Stop hanging around presidential villa like jobless people,’ Reuben Abati tells Tinubu’s sons

Former presidential aide and media personality, Reuben Abati, on Tuesday, took a swipe at President Bola Tinubu’s sons, Seyi and Yinka to get something doing and stop hanging around the presidential villa. 

NewsClick Nigeria reports that Abati’s outburst might to be unconnected to the president’s sons following him to Qatar for a state visit.

A video of Seyi and Yinka on the lineup of Nigerian delegates being introduced to Qatari officials by President Tinubu raised eyebrows on social media.

Reacting to the video on Arise TV, Abati who was a former media aide to ex-president Goodluck Jonathan, said;

‘’May we begin to ask what the President’s children do for a living? I mean, by the time I was their age I was doing something concrete. I got a PhD at 24. I wasn’t depending on any father. People must get to a stage in their lives when they hold themselves together. I don’t want adults behaving like invalids, hanging around just because your father is in a position….all these children of privileged people over do it…and these are boys that would probably have wives at home…some of these girls, what they go through is very embarrassing. You can’t have a husband that is just hanging around.”

NewsClick Nigeria reports that Tinubu had earlier in November warned his son, Seyi and other uninvited persons to stay away from the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meetings.

Tinubu made it clear that only approved persons are permitted to sit in the weekly cabinet meetings.

“Last week, I noticed the undue access of people sneaking in and out of this council.

“I saw the photograph of my son, Seyi, sitting behind. That is not acceptable.

“I will announce to you those people who are supposed to be here,” he said.

President Tinubu went on to name his Special Advisers on Policy Coordination, Hadiza Usman; Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga; Principal Private Secretary, Hakeem Muri-Okunola and Private Secretary, Damilotun Aderemi.

“Those are people who are granted an exception to be here when we’re conducting the business of the nation. Unless I sent for you, don’t come, make it clear,” Tinubu added.