Atiku questions Tinubu over Umrah trip announcement

From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja

African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused President Bola Tinubu of using his announced Umrah pilgrimage as a smokescreen to allegedly undertake a trip to France.

Atiku, in a statement by the Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, said there was reason to believe that President Tinubu “might just make a brief appearance in Makkah before proceeding to France.”

Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga had, in a statement on Wednesday, announced that the President would depart Abuja on Thursday for Makkah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to perform Umrah, noting that Tinubu would utilise the opportunity to pray for the country.

Nonetheless, Atiku demanded that the President respond to questions “about whether the trip is connected to the President’s health and a reported $20 billion loan request involving a French business partner,” as well as disclose his full itinerary.

According to him, “if President Tinubu is truly travelling to pray for Nigeria, the Presidency should release clear, current, date-stamped photographs and videos each day showing him at the Kaaba and participating in the rites of Umrah. Nigerians deserve verifiable proof of the President’s presence in Makkah and a transparent account of his daily activities in the Holy Land.”

The former Vice President cautioned “that no one should invoke the name of Almighty Allah in vain,” noting “that a spiritual mission undertaken on behalf of the nation must be treated with seriousness and transparency.”

He said: “An official trip presented as a mission for Nigeria is a matter of public interest. Nigerians are entitled to know the President’s daily engagements and how the trip is being funded.” He urged the Presidency to answer these questions plainly and provide the evidence the country deserves.

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