Atiku’s aide accuses Tinubu of using Umrah trip to seek personal prayers, second-term endorsement

Phrank Shaibu, a senior special assistant on public communication to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, has accused President Bola Tinubu of using his recent Umrah trip to Makkah, Saudi Arabia, for personal spiritual benefits rather than praying for Nigeria.

Shaibu made the allegation during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, describing the president’s pilgrimage as a “political Umrah”.

He argued that although the presidency presented the trip as an opportunity for Tinubu to pray for Nigeria, the president had actually embarked on the spiritual exercise for personal reasons.

“It is for himself. He has gone there to pray for himself. In trying to mask this trip, they claimed it was for the nation,” he said.

Shaibu also alleged that Tinubu had described the pilgrimage as an opportunity to receive divine wisdom to govern Nigeria and secure spiritual endorsement for his second term.

According to him, the president’s reported last Umrah visit was three and a half years ago, before the 2023 presidential election, suggesting that the trip had been politicised.

“I will call it political Umrah. Permit me to use that expression. If not, ordinarily, there is nothing for us to discuss when a Nigerian who worships and who believes in the Islamic faith visits the holy land,” he added.

The ADC chieftain, however, acknowledged the spiritual significance of the pilgrimage to Muslims, noting that prayer and visits to the holy land were important aspects of Islamic worship.

Shaibu also questioned Tinubu’s sincerity of faith, citing the continued detention of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, despite what he described as a minor political disagreement.

He argued that the president had the power to facilitate el-Rufai’s release, pointing to his alleged intervention that enabled the former governor to bury his mother.

“That was not the court. So, he knows what to do. The conditions they gave for his bail are obnoxious, completely obnoxious. That is a fellow Muslim,” Shaibu said.

He further linked the issue of religious sincerity to the economic hardship facing Nigerians, particularly the inability of many citizens to afford basic necessities.

The former vice-president’s aide also claimed that Atiku sponsored Tinubu’s first trip to Makkah, challenging anyone who disputed the assertion to contest it.

“The first trip Bola Tinubu made to the holy land was on the bills of Atiku Abubakar. He took him there. It’s on record,” he said.

Shaibu attributed the alleged gesture to Atiku’s love for people and his religious commitment, adding that the former vice-president believed in encouraging others to worship and serve God.

He further claimed that Atiku spent 30 days in Makkah during Ramadan last year but did not publicise the visit because it was a personal spiritual exercise.

Tinubu departed Abuja for Makkah on Thursday, October 29, to perform Umrah, an Islamic pilgrimage to the holy city.

Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga had said the visit would provide the president with an opportunity for spiritual reflection, devotion and prayers for Nigeria’s peace, unity, stability and continued progress.

After performing the pilgrimage on Friday, October 30, Tinubu described the exercise as a deeply spiritual experience and said he had used the opportunity to pray for Nigeria and its citizens.

On Sunday, the president hosted some governors and members of his delegation to a dinner in Makkah, where he prayed for God to transform Nigeria’s diversity into prosperity.