Tinubu is going to Saudi for Umrah, not treatment — Aide
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will travel to Saudi Arabia to perform the lesser Hajj (Umrah), rather than seek medical treatment, his Special Adviser on Social Media, Dada Olusegun, has said.
The aide made the clarification on Thursday in a post on X while responding to human rights activist Omoyele Sowore, who had questioned the purpose of Tinubu’s planned foreign trip and raised concerns about his health.
Olusegun said the President would use the religious pilgrimage to pray for Nigeria and seek God’s intervention for his re-election in 2027.
Sowore, in a post on Wednesday, alleged that the President was preparing for another overseas trip on Thursday, October 29, 2026, following his recent rally in Kaduna.
He also claimed that five governors, some ministers and prominent businesspeople were being assembled for the journey, suggesting that their presence could make it appear to be an official business visit.
“Nigeria is in serious trouble! After the Kaduna rally, there are now indications that Bola Ahmed Tinubu #officialabat is being prepared for another foreign trip tomorrow, October 29, 2026, amid growing questions about his health.
“Hearing that five governors, some ministers, and prominent businessmen are being assembled for the trip, apparently to give it the appearance of an official business visit.
“Like Yar’Adua, like Tinubu?” he tweeted.
Responding to the allegations, Olusegun maintained that Tinubu’s trip was for religious purposes, citing the President’s previous visits to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah in 2022.
“President Tinubu is not heading to Saudi Arabia for medical treatment. He is heading to the Holy Land for the Lesser Hajj (Umrah), like other Muslims across the world, to offer supplications for the country and commit his re-election journey into the hands of God.
“This is not new… it is a regular practice among Muslims when they want to embark on any critical journey or attain a milestone. Mr Sowore, in case you have temporary amnesia, Bola Ahmed Tinubu travelled to Makkah, Saudi Arabia, to perform Umrah (Lesser Hajj) twice in 2022… first in April 2022, before the APC primary election, and again in late December 2022, before the presidential election.
“His prayers were answered on both occasions. It is only sensible to stick to a potent strategy; hence the President is going again. On Saturday, the President was in Kaduna to flag off his re-election campaign.
The presidential aide also pointed to Tinubu’s recent official engagements, including his Kaduna rally, meetings with former African Development Bank President Akinwumi Adesina and Nigerian Tourism Development Authority Director-General Ola Awakan, and his chairing of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Thursday.
“Yesterday, he received the former AfDB President, Akinwumi Adesina, in an audience and separately hosted the Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA), Ola Awakan. Today, the President chaired the FEC meeting, where some consequential decisions were made.
“Mr Sowore, a ‘sick person’ would not have this many itineraries to accomplish. Mr President is fit as a fiddle, and no evil, as you are wishing for, will befall the People’s President,” Olusegun stated.
