⬆️ R-L Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and President Bola Tinubu.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused President Bola Tinubu of using his announced Umrah pilgrimage as a possible smokescreen, claiming credible intelligence available to him indicates France may be the President’s actual destination.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, Atiku said there was reason to believe Tinubu might make only a brief appearance in Makkah before proceeding to France.
He also raised questions about whether the trip is linked to the President’s health and a reported $20 billion loan request involving a French business partner. Atiku called on the Presidency to address the concerns and disclose the President’s full itinerary.
“If President Tinubu is truly traveling 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,” the statement said.
“Nigerians deserve verifiable proof of the President’s presence in Makkah and a transparent account of his daily activities in the Holy Land.”
Atiku added that he and other Nigerians would join the President in prayers for the peace and progress of the country. He cautioned that no one should invoke the name of Almighty Allah in vain, stressing that a spiritual mission undertaken on behalf of the nation must be treated with seriousness and transparency.
He described an official trip presented as a mission for Nigeria as a matter of public interest, saying Nigerians are entitled to know the President’s daily engagements and how the trip is being funded. He urged the Presidency to answer the questions plainly and provide the evidence the country deserves.