A presidential aide, Ademola Oshodi, has denied that President Bola Tinubu's recent Umrah pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia was an attempt to win votes in Northern Nigeria. Oshodi, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Protocol, stated that the President's visit should be viewed from a religious and national perspective. He made these remarks during an appearance on Channels Television's Politics Today.
According to Oshodi, the significance of Tinubu's access to the Holy Kaaba, Islam's most sacred structure, goes beyond regional politics. He argued that Muslims across the country cherish the rare opportunity, and it is not just a matter of Northern or Southern politics, but a Muslim thing. Oshodi emphasized that the President has been to Umrah and Hajj multiple times and that this visit was a great opportunity for Nigeria.
President Tinubu announced the conclusion of his visit to Saudi Arabia on Monday, stating that he and his delegation had been granted access to the Holy Kaaba to pray and had performed the Umrah pilgrimage. The President departed Abuja for Saudi Arabia last Thursday, accompanied by state governors, ministers, and members of the business community. During the visit, Tinubu was granted access to the interior of the Holy Kaaba, a privilege authorized by Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.
The Holy Kaaba, a cube-shaped structure at the center of the Grand Mosque in Makkah, is Islam's most sacred site and the direction towards which Muslims face during their daily prayers. Access to its interior is restricted and regarded as a rare privilege. However, Tinubu was not the first Nigerian President to enter the Kaaba, as former President Muhammadu Buhari was granted access during a visit to Saudi Arabia in 2016.
In a statement on Monday, the State House said Tinubu thanked King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for granting him and his delegation access to the structure. The President also stated that he had sought divine wisdom and resilience to continue serving Nigerians, adding that he made a similar request during an Umrah pilgrimage before the 2023 general election.
The development comes as political parties prepare for the January 16, 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections, with Tinubu already launching his re-election campaign in Kaduna on October 24. The North is expected to be a significant battleground in the contest, with Atiku, a former presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, seeking to challenge Tinubu's support in the region.
Atiku's Director of Strategic Communication, Phrank Shaibu, had criticized the President's pilgrimage, arguing that a second term could not be secured through religious declarations. In response, Oshodi suggested that other presidential candidates should also seek God's guidance, whether by visiting Jerusalem, Mecca, or other holy sites, rather than overemphasizing one person's quest for divine guidance.
Key points
- President Bola Tinubu's Umrah pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia was not aimed at winning votes in Northern Nigeria, according to his aide Ademola Oshodi.
