CITY BOY MOVEMENT DISMISSES ALLEGED SNUB OF BASHIR AHMAD, CAUTIONS AGAINST MISLEADING INTERPRETATIONS
By Mohammed Abdullahi
The City Boy Movement (CBM) has rejected claims that its Patron, Mr Seyi Tinubu, deliberately snubbed Hon. Bashir Ahmad while exchanging greetings with participants at a meeting, cautioning against speculative interpretations of a video circulating on social media.
In a statement dated 10 October 2026, signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mohammed Abdullahi, on behalf of the Directorate of Media, Communications and Public Affairs, the Movement said the footage did not provide sufficient context to establish deliberate disrespect or question Ahmad’s standing within the organisation.
While acknowledging the concerns expressed by Ahmad’s supporters, CBM described the conclusions being drawn from the recording as unwarranted.
“A brief recording of an interaction at a meeting cannot, without proper context, establish deliberate disrespect or provide a reasonable basis for questioning the relationship between two individuals,” the statement said.
The Movement explained that Tinubu’s interactions with its leaders and members were characterised by familiarity, mutual respect and camaraderie. It said familiar colleagues did not necessarily exchange formal handshakes at every encounter and could acknowledge one another through a smile, a friendly tap or a playful gesture.
CBM described Ahmad as a respected member of its National Working Committee and its National Director of Media Monitoring and Rapid Response, saying he remained an integral part of its leadership structure.
Responding to suggestions that his position diminished his standing, the Movement described media monitoring and rapid response as strategic responsibilities requiring experience, sound judgement and credibility. It said Ahmad’s background in political communication, digital engagement and public affairs made his contribution valuable.
The organisation maintained that respect should also be assessed through meaningful inclusion, shared responsibilities, mutual confidence and opportunities to contribute.
It urged commentators and members of the public to base criticism on facts, policies and ideas, while reaffirming its commitment to teamwork, inclusion and mutual respect.
“Ultimately, no individual’s dignity should be reduced to a handshake, and no relationship built on trust and mutual respect should be judged by a few seconds of footage,” the statement concluded.
The full statement is reproduced below:
CITY BOY MOVEMENT
PRESS STATEMENT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
10th October, 2026
CITY BOY MOVEMENT DISMISSES ALLEGED SNUB OF BASHIR AHMAD, CAUTIONS AGAINST MISLEADING INTERPRETATIONS
The attention of the City Boy Movement has been drawn to a video circulating on social media in which Mr Seyi Tinubu is alleged to have deliberately ignored Hon. Bashir Ahmad while exchanging greetings with participants at a meeting. We have also observed attempts by some commentators to portray the incident as evidence of disrespect towards Bashir Ahmad and to question his standing within the Movement.
While we recognise the concerns expressed by those who hold Bashir Ahmad in high regard, we consider the conclusions being drawn from the video unfortunate and unwarranted. A brief recording of an interaction at a meeting cannot, without proper context, establish deliberate disrespect or provide a reasonable basis for questioning the relationship between two individuals.
It is important to understand the nature of the relationship Mr Seyi Tinubu maintains with the leadership and members of the City Boy Movement. As Patron of the Movement, he regards those who belong to it not merely as members of a political organisation, but as family and teammates united by a common purpose. His interactions with them are consequently characterised by familiarity, mutual respect and camaraderie rather than rigid formalities. At meetings and gatherings, he does not necessarily exchange handshakes with every familiar face. Indeed, it is not unusual for him to acknowledge some leaders with a friendly tap, a smile or a playful gesture before proceeding to greet members of a visiting delegation. Such interactions reflect the ease and closeness that exist within the Movement, not a hierarchy of respect or recognition.
It is against this background that the video should be understood. Individuals who work closely together and interact regularly do not necessarily exchange formal greetings at every encounter. To interpret the absence of a handshake as deliberate humiliation, without establishing the circumstances surrounding the meeting, is to assign an intention that the footage itself cannot substantiate.
For clarity, Hon. Bashir Ahmad is a respected member of the National Working Committee of the City Boy Movement, where he serves as National Director of Media Monitoring and Rapid Response. He is not an outsider seeking recognition or acceptance within the Movement, but an integral member of its leadership structure, contributing his considerable experience in political communication, digital engagement and public affairs to the collective objectives of the organisation.
It is equally important to address the suggestion that his position within the Movement somehow diminishes his standing. Nothing could be further from the truth. In contemporary political communication, media monitoring and rapid response are critical strategic responsibilities requiring experience, sound judgement and credibility. Bashir Ahmad’s extensive professional background, digital influence and understanding of Nigeria’s political environment make his contribution particularly valuable. His responsibilities should therefore be understood in terms of their strategic importance rather than subjected to an artificial hierarchy of prestige.
The City Boy Movement firmly believes that respect is demonstrated through meaningful inclusion, shared responsibilities, mutual confidence and opportunities to contribute, rather than measured exclusively by ceremonial gestures. The relationship between our Patron and members of the Movement is built on these principles, and it would be misleading to suggest that the absence of a formal greeting at a particular moment diminishes anyone’s importance or standing.
We therefore urge commentators and members of the public to resist the temptation to transform ordinary human interactions into unnecessary political controversies. Legitimate criticisms are part of democracy, but they should be pursued on the strength of facts, policies and ideas, rather than speculative interpretations of isolated moments.
The City Boy Movement remains committed to building an inclusive national platform that recognises competence, values individual contributions and promotes teamwork and mutual respect. Hon. Bashir Ahmad’s participation in the Movement is consistent with that commitment, and his record of public service deserves to be assessed on its merits rather than through the interpretation of a fleeting video.
Ultimately, no individual’s dignity should be reduced to a handshake, and no relationship built on trust and mutual respect should be judged by a few seconds of footage. Within the City Boy Movement, we are more than colleagues; we are a team and a family, and the strength of that bond cannot be measured by who shakes whose hand at a meeting.
Mohammed Abdullahi
National Publicity Secretary
For: Directorate of Media, Communications and Public Affairs
CITY BOY MOVEMENT
