President Bola Tinubu, Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani, and Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni recently sought divine intervention for Nigeria's peace, unity, stability, and prosperity during prayers inside the Holy Kaaba in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Tinubu shared the experience on his verified social media handle, expressing gratitude for the rare privilege. The prayers were offered during Tinubu's Umrah pilgrimage, a significant spiritual exercise for Muslims.
The governors described the experience as a lifetime achievement and an extraordinary privilege, given the country's need for enduring peace, national cohesion, and stability. Governor Sani emphasized that the prayers focused primarily on Nigeria's unity, peace, and harmony, expressing confidence that their supplications would be answered. He appreciated Tinubu for extending the rare privilege to members of his delegation.
Governor Buni also described entering the Kaaba as a remarkable spiritual milestone, noting that the privilege was a rare honour granted only by divine providence. He said the opportunity enabled them to seek God's blessings for Nigeria, their respective states, and the well-being of their people. The governors' experiences reflect the significance of the Holy Kaaba in Islam.
President Tinubu and members of his delegation were granted the rare privilege of entering the Holy Kaaba by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. Tinubu expressed gratitude to the Saudi monarch for the honour, saying he also used the spiritual exercise to pray for Nigeria's peace, unity, development, and prosperity.
However, the Makinde-Daura Presidential Campaign Organisation (MDPCO) faulted the President's claim that Nigeria's economy had emerged from the "dark tunnel". The organisation insisted that millions of Nigerians remain trapped in poverty amid worsening economic hardship. MDPCO argued that the President's optimism about the economy was contradicted by persistent poverty, rising living costs, and business closures.
According to MDPCO, over 140 million Nigerians, representing about 63 per cent of the population, live in abject poverty, while over 60 million face acute food insecurity. The organisation also cited hundreds of businesses shutting down daily under the weight of the administration's economic policies and taxation, leaving many Nigerians struggling to meet their basic needs.
MDPCO urged the President to withdraw from the 2027 presidential race and support the presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Makinde, in the interest of the country. The organisation expressed concern over insecurity, attacks, and economic challenges, which have restricted citizens' movements, disrupted farming and commercial activities, and compounded the nation's economic difficulties.
Key points
- President Tinubu and governors pray for Nigeria's peace, unity, and prosperity at Holy Kaaba.
- MDPCO faults President's economic claims, citing widespread poverty and hardship.
- Over 140 million Nigerians live in abject poverty, says MDPCO.
