President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s absence in Mecca, Saudi Arabia to participate in this year’s Lesser Hajj (Umrah) has sparked rumors and concerns about his health.
While his media office claimed that Tinubu traveled abroad to rest and plan his transition program ahead of his May 29, 2023 inauguration, credible sources revealed that the former Lagos State governor has yet to arrive in Saudi Arabia.
This news comes after one of his loyalists, Sam Omatseye, tweeted a picture of Tinubu and President Muhammadu Buhari with the caption “ASIWAJU TINUBU. PRESIDENT ELECT AND PRESIDENT BUHARI AT MECCA, SAUDI ARABIA TODAY, APRIL 12, 2023.”
The tweet was taken down after it became clear that Tinubu was not in Mecca.
The rumors about Tinubu’s health started after he underwent a knee surgery in London, United Kingdom (UK) in 2022.
However, upon his return to Nigeria, Tinubu declared that he was fully healed and committed to advancing the cause of progressive democratic good governance throughout Nigeria.
Despite this, reports in a section of the media have been rife about Tinubu receiving treatment abroad, which his associates have debunked several times.
The Lesser Hajj (Umrah) is a voluntary pilgrimage to Mecca that Muslims can perform at any time of the year.
While it is not one of the Five Pillars of Islam, it is highly recommended, and many Muslims choose to perform it during the month of Ramadan.
This year’s Hajj season is expected to be a busy period in Saudi Arabia, with millions of Muslims from around the world expected to participate.
Tinubu’s absence in Mecca has fueled speculation about his health and raised questions about his ability to lead as elected president in 2023.
Tinubu is a prominent Nigerian politician and a national leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
He was governor of Lagos State from 1999 to 2007 and has been a key player in Nigerian politics since then.
