Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Foreign Affairs and Protocol, Ademola Oshodi, has defended the President’s recent visit to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, dismissing suggestions that the pilgrimage was intended to secure political support from Northern Nigeria ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Oshodi maintained that Tinubu travelled to the holy city to perform religious obligations as a Muslim and that the visit should not be interpreted as a political strategy.
He made the clarification on Monday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he responded to criticism surrounding the timing of the President’s trip.
According to the presidential aide, the presence of Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, an opposition politician, in Mecca further demonstrated that the gathering was not organised around partisan interests.
Oshodi argued that religious activities should not automatically be viewed through the lens of electoral calculations, particularly when individuals from different political backgrounds are participating in the same spiritual exercise.
He also encouraged other politicians seeking the presidency in 2027 to pursue their own religious convictions and seek divine guidance rather than criticise the President for undertaking a pilgrimage.
The presidential aide acknowledged that Nigerians were experiencing economic difficulties but insisted that the Tinubu administration was working to improve the country’s situation.
Tinubu arrived in Saudi Arabia on October 29, 2026, accompanied by governors, ministers and other members of his delegation. He subsequently performed Umrah, an Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, and visited the Grand Mosque.
The President also expressed appreciation to Saudi Arabia’s leadership for granting him and members of his delegation access to the interior of the Holy Kaaba, one of Islam’s most sacred sites.
Following the religious exercise, Tinubu said he had prayed for Nigeria’s peace, unity and prosperity, while seeking divine wisdom and strength to continue leading the country.
However, the timing of the pilgrimage has generated political reactions as parties and political figures begin positioning themselves ahead of the January 2027 general elections.
Phrank Shaibu, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, criticised the President’s visit, describing it as a politically motivated religious exercise.
Shaibu argued that the President’s comments linking the pilgrimage to his leadership and re-election ambitions had given the visit a political dimension. He also questioned the emphasis placed on the religious exercise amid the economic difficulties confronting Nigerians.
The disagreement has brought renewed attention to the relationship between religion and politics as political activities gather momentum ahead of the next presidential election.
While Oshodi insists that Tinubu’s visit was strictly religious, critics have continued to question the political implications of its timing and the President’s public remarks.
The 2027 presidential election is scheduled for January 16, with Tinubu seeking another term under the platform of the All Progressives Congress.
