Atiku aide say im pay for Tinubu first Saudi pilgrimage

A media aide to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar don talk say Atiku pay for President Bola Tinubu first visit to Saudi Arabia, and e challenge di President to deny am.

Phrank Shaibu make di claim on Monday when e appear on di programme Politics Today. E talk say di former vice president cover di cost of dat early pilgrimage out of generosity, and di record dey for anybody to check.

Shaibu comments come as attention focus on Tinubu current trip to Makkah, where di President dey perform Umrah, di lesser Hajj.

Why e matter

Di exchange touch on how much of a leader religious life suppose dey public. Shaibu argue say worship na private matter and no suppose turn to political messaging. E talk say Atiku spend 30 days in Saudi Arabia for Umrah during di last Ramadan without issuing any statement about am.

Tinubu, for im part, don describe di current pilgrimage as personally important. According to am, e use di opportunity pray for Nigeria unity and ask for wisdom and resilience to continue serving di country. E also talk about im administration economic direction, talk say di foundation solid and di economy don come out of di dark tunnel.

Neither di Presidency nor Atiku camp provide documents on di earlier trip, and Daily Post and Leadership, wey both report Shaibu remarks, no talk when dat first visit happen. Nigerians suppose treat di sponsorship claim as allegation wey dem make on television programme until evidence back am or di President deny am.

For ordinary Nigerians, di back-and-forth likely to dey read against di cost of living and di state of di economy, wey di President talk say e dey improve. Pilgrimages na personal, but when public figures discuss who pay for who trip, e become part of di political conversation.

Wetin happen next

E no clear whether di Presidency go respond to Shaibu challenge. Atiku never comment publicly on di claim, and di aide talk in im own capacity as media adviser.