Atiku asks Presidency for daily proof of Tinubu's Umrah in Makkah
- Atiku Abubakar wants daily date-stamped photos and videos of President Tinubu at the Kaaba.
- He alleges the Umrah trip may be a cover for a visit to France, which the Presidency has not addressed.
- The Presidency says Tinubu leaves Abuja on Thursday for Makkah and returns next week.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has asked the Presidency to release fresh, date-stamped photographs and videos each day showing President Bola Tinubu at the Kaaba and taking part in the rites of Umrah in Makkah.
The request came on Wednesday, hours after presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga announced that Tinubu would leave Abuja on Thursday for Saudi Arabia to pray for Nigeria, and return next week.
In a statement issued by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Campaign Council, Atiku said Nigerians deserve verifiable proof that the President is in the Holy Land and a clear account of what he does there.
What Atiku is asking
Atiku alleged that the pilgrimage announcement could be a "smokescreen or subterfuge", saying information available to him pointed to France as the President's actual destination. He said there was reason to believe Tinubu might make only a brief appearance in Makkah before going on to France.
He also asked whether the trip is connected to the President's health and to a reported $20 billion loan request involving a French business partner. He urged the Presidency to disclose the President's full itinerary and explain how the trip is being funded.
"No one should invoke the name of Almighty Allah in vain," Atiku said, adding that a spiritual mission undertaken for the nation must be handled with seriousness and transparency.
He said he and other Nigerians would join the President in prayers for the country's peace and progress.
The Presidency had not responded to the statement as of Wednesday night, according to the reports.
Why it matters to Nigerians
Presidential travel is paid for with public money, and Nigerians have repeatedly questioned the cost of official trips at a time when many households are struggling with prices and fuel costs. A trip presented as a national prayer mission draws extra attention because it carries religious weight.
The back-and-forth also comes ahead of the 2027 general election, with Atiku, the ADC's presidential candidate, positioning himself as a check on the President's conduct.
Tinubu only recently returned from a four-week vacation in Europe, arriving in Lagos from Paris on September 29. On his return he dismissed rumours about his health, saying he was "healthy, sound and ready to go".
Before leaving Abuja on Thursday, the President is expected to commission equipment acquired by the Nigerian Air Force at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.
What happens next: The Presidency has yet to answer Atiku's questions or say whether it will release daily images. Nigerians will be watching whether the promised proof follows.
