Posted by Chinenye on Thu 03rd Sep, 2026 - tori.ng
A viral video involving a politician and a student has triggered heated reactions online, forcing his campaign team to step forward with an explanation.
(Senator Sharafadeen Alli, and Student of polytechnic Ibadan. Photo Credit: Nigeria Stories)
A campaign organisation has explained a viral video showing a student sitting on a politician's lap during a visit to a polytechnic.
The candidate's team said students from the school's banking department came to his campaign office to invite him to their programme and conduct an interview.
According to the campaign, there were not enough chairs for everyone present when the students arrived, so the candidate asked one of them to sit on his lap so the interview could continue.
In the video, he was also seen briefly touching the student's leg, a gesture that sparked different reactions online.
The campaign condemned what it called attempts by some online users to put a negative spin on the interaction, describing such interpretations as misleading and politically motivated.
The team maintained that the candidate's action was a spontaneous, fatherly gesture with no inappropriate intention behind it.
The campaign argued that political opponents were deliberately twisting an ordinary interaction between a political leader and students seeking support for their programme into something negative.
It urged the public to disregard what it called false narratives about the video, noting that those who know the candidate understand how he relates to young people in a fatherly manner.
The campaign also called on media organisations and social media users to report responsibly, saying digital platforms should not be used to damage people's reputations through sensationalism.
It urged Nigerians to reject what it described as cheap political tactics and to focus the 2027 governorship election on ideas, competence, development and the welfare of residents.
Trending video of a young male journalist sitting on Oyo State APC governorship candidate Senator Sharafadeen Alli's lap during an interview that has got people talking. pic.twitter.com/QJyWJkvtLf
— YabaLeftOnline (@yabaleftonline) September 2, 2026