• Prays for wisdom, strength 

•Recommits to building a prosperous nation, says Nigeria will overcome challenges

Deji Elumoye, Chuks Okocha in Abuja and Benjamin Nworie in Abakaliki

In supplication and total submission to the Almighty, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, yesterday, at the Holy Ka’abah, Mecca, where he had gone to observe Umrah, the lesser hajj, handed his re-election challenges to Allah, in whom he trusted.

With a tinge of drama, Tinubu, who held and kissed the Al-Hajar al-Aswad otherwise called the Black Stone, in a symbolic sunnah, often performed in emulation of the Prophet Mohammad, however, prayed for wisdom and strength.

The Black Stone is one of the most sacred objects in Islam, embedded in the southeastern corner of the Holy Ka’abah in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, surrounded  by a silver frame.

Muslims hold it in great reverence because Islamic tradition teaches that it came from paradise and that Prophet Mohammad kissed it. It is therefore an expression of faith and reverence, not an act of worshipping the stone.

The president, who concluded his five-day visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, reflected on his spiritual journey to the Holy land, during which the Custodian of the Holy Mosques of Makkah and Madinah, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, granted him a rare privilege of leading Nigeria’s delegation to pray inside the Holy Ka’abah.

At the Holy Ka’abah, Tinubu offered prayers of gratitude to the Almighty Allah for the privilege of serving as Nigeria’s President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

Sheikh Dahlulah Muthawal of Masjid al-Haram led the president into the Ka’abah.

Tinubu thanked the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, for granting him and members of his delegation the opportunity to enter the Holy Ka’abah in Makkah and offer prayers to Almighty Allah.

The president described the honour as a historic and deeply cherished spiritual experience, reflecting the longstanding bonds of friendship, mutual respect and cooperation between Nigeria and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

“I want to say a big thank you for the faith, for the recognition. I can’t believe the fencing of the Ka’abah is in Green-White-Green, which reminds us of the Nigerian identity.

“I thank the Crown Prince and all the administrators of the holy land. I thank them for the hospitality and recognition given to me as the leader of the delegation and the country.

“We are all facing challenges and hostility around us. We will overcome them with faith in God Almighty. I’m grateful forever. I thank the King and the royal Crown Prince.

“It is an honour that I enjoyed, and it is gracious of them to have allowed me to enter inside the Ka’abah. This is history.”

Tinubu said he asked Allah for wisdom and resilience to continue serving Nigerians, and expressed confidence that his prayers have been answered.

According to him, “I asked for wisdom and resilience to continue to serve the people. I know that prayer has been granted. Before the 2023 election, I did the same thing. I asked Allah to bless my Umrah then, and He did. And I promised that I would come back to thank Him.”

He reflected on the message from the Holy Qur’an in Surah Aal-Imran, Verse 26, which affirmed that Almighty Allah is the Owner of all sovereignty, granting power and authority to whom He wills and taking them away from whom He wills.

The president said power is a trust that must be exercised responsibly, with humility and in the service of the people, recognising that no position of authority is permanent and that ultimate sovereignty belongs to Almighty Allah.

“There is no other God but Almighty Allah. He is the giver and the taker. He owns power and authority. He says, ‘If I give you, use it well. If you don’t use it in accordance with my dictates, I can take it from you and give it to another person. I am the only One who has that authority,” the president said, quoting the Qur’an.

Tinubu said faith in Allah had strengthened his conviction that his emergence as Nigeria’s leader was an extraordinary blessing that must be matched with dedicated service to the country.

“I have faith in that, and I believe extremely well that He has done me and my country a great favour. Out of many millions of people, to be the President and Commander-in-Chief is a favour that only Almighty God can do to a human being,” he stated.

Tinubu reiterated his commitment to Project Nigeria and his determination to build a prosperous nation, invest in the future of young Nigerians, and pursue development in line with the will of Almighty Allah and the people’s aspirations.

He emphasised that his commitment to Project Nigeria had become even stronger, assuring Nigerians of his resolve to pursue policies and programmes that would promote prosperity, national development and shared progress.

“My commitment to Project Nigeria is higher. I am determined to usher in prosperity and fully develop the country, consistent with the wish of Allah and the support of the people.

“It is important to put Allah first, then move on. Follow your conscience. Follow the right path that will lead Nigeria to that greatness,” Tinubu said.

On the nation’s economic outlook, the president expressed optimism about the progress made under his watch, describing the economic foundation as solid and the country’s emergence from a difficult period as encouraging.

“The foundation is solid, and the economy has come out of the dark tunnel. This is inspiring.”

He maintained, however, that nation-building required sustained investment in young Nigerians’ future, noting that today’s leaders’ decisions would determine how future generations remember them.

“We need to build a future for our youth. If we don’t invest in their future, how do we want to be remembered as leaders 50 years from now? That’s the main thing. So this is a rare privilege to lead the country,” he added.

Tinubu reiterated that his administration would remain focused on strengthening the country’s economic foundations, expanding opportunities for young people and creating the conditions necessary for Nigerians to realise their potential.

The president thanked Almighty Allah for the opportunity to lead Nigeria and reaffirmed his determination to justify the confidence the Nigerian people have placed in him through purposeful leadership and an enduring commitment to national progress.

Earlier, the President, had disclosed on X @OfficialPBAT, that he had concluded his visit to Saudi, adding that he used the opportunity of the visit to pray for peace, unity and prosperity to reign supreme in Nigeria.

Tinubu, according to the four-paragraph post, stated: “I have concluded my visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where, together with members of my delegation, I had the rare honour of entering the Holy Kaaba to pray, and of performing Umrah.

“I am deeply grateful to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud @KingSalman, and to Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman for extending this privilege to us, and for their gracious hospitality and brotherly care.

“It reflects the enduring bonds of faith and friendship between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia. In those sacred moments, I prayed for peace, unity and prosperity for our dear nation and for all Nigerians.”

Seized by emotions, Minister of Justice Lateef Fagbemi, his Health and Social Welfare counterpart, Prof Ali Pate, Governors of Borno, Sokoto, Jigawa, Kaduna, Yobe and Kwara States as well as captains of industry, including Chairman of BUA, Abdulsamad  Rabiu and CEO of Oando, Wale Tinubu, expressed gratitude to Allah and the president for allowing them to enter and pray with him in the most holy mosque and sacred ground in Islam.

Makinde-Daura Campaigns Berates Tinubu over False Economy Claims in Mecca, Saudi

The Makinde-Daura Presidential Campaign Organization (MDPCO) has berated President Bola Tinubu for allegedly falsely claiming in Mecca that Nigeria’s economy has “come out of the dark tunnel” when in reality the economy was worsening by the day.

The Makinde/Daura presidential campaigns said it was profane that President Tinubu could stand before the Holy Ka’abah in Makkah to make such a spurious claim despite the damming indices showing that the nation was sinking deeper into poverty under him with over 140 million citizens (63% of the population) living in abject poverty.

In a statement, the Director of Strategic Communication of the Makinde/Daura presidential campaign, Richard Ihediuwa, said, ‘’While President Tinubu made his false claims in Mecca, hundreds of businesses are closing on daily basis in Nigeria due to the adverse effect of his punishing economic policies and harsh taxes.

“This is just as mass unemployment has become a new normal with over 60 million Nigerians facing acute food insecurity and going to bed on empty stomach with no hope in sight under the Tinubu administration.’’

The Director of Strategic Communication of the campaign, further said, ‘’Under President Tinubu’s rule, insecurity continues to fester to the extent that citizens can no longer freely move around the nation to ply their trades, go to their farms and engage in other commercial activities, an ugly situation with attendant negative implication on the economy.

‘’Despite being an oil producing country, fuel price in Nigeria remains unaffordable at N1,500 to N2,000 per liter in various parts of the country, driving high costs of living, harsh business environment and eroded purchasing power of citizens.

‘’Today, under President Tinubu’s voodoo economy Nigeria’s infrastructure deficit has hit an estimated $2.3 trillion, with experts stating that the gap would require approximately $100 billion annually over the next 30 years to fix.

‘’It is ironic that President Tinubu claims that the economy has come out of the dark tunnel when he is mortgaging the future of the nation with reckless borrowing from foreign creditors with no verifiable investments in projects or programmes and no clear-cut plan to repay the N166.7 trillion debt accumulated under his watch,’’ the campaign council said.

The APM presidential campaign said Nigerians expected President Tinubu to use the sacred precincts of the Holy Ka’abah, to seek genuine contrition before the Almighty Allah, shed the trappings of presidential power and confront the damning record of his administration against the crushing hardship and widespread misery its policies have inflicted on nation.

‘’The fact that President Tinubu can, in the face of the current economic quagmire, claim that the nation economy has come out of the dark tunnel, only goes to confirm that he has come to his wits end and has nothing more to offer as president.

‘’His affirmation in the Holy Land that the Almighty Allah gives power and can take from him to whom He wills, comes to Nigerians as an answered prayer given their earnest desire and supplication for a breath of fresh air under a new leadership,’’ the statement said.

2027: S’East CAN, Others Endorse Tinubu

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), South East zone as well as the Hausa and Yoruba communities in Ebonyi State, have endorsed President Tinubu for re-election in the 2027 elections.

The different bodies made the endorsement yesterday in Abakaliki during a Town Hall meeting powered by the Directorate of Infrastructure, Mobilisation and Sensitisation of All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC).

Addressing members of the association, the President of the Christian Fellowship of Nigeria (CFN),  South East zone, Rev. Fr. Abraham Nwali, appreciated the president for uplifting the zone through massive infrastructure.

He urged the members of the association and the entire people of the zone to support Tinubu’s re-election as mark of appreciation for his love for the region.

“We are owing our leader the president and Minister of Works, His Excellency, Senator David Umahi, appreciation, and the only way we can show the appreciation is to support the president in the 2027 general election,” Nwali stated.

A former President of the Women Wing of the association, Mrs. Uche Charity Ujunwa, said Tinubu has brought reforms to the country which was impacting positively on the people and called for support of the President in the 2027 general election.

Leader of the Youth Wing of CAN South East, Peter Onyeabor, assured the president that the entire Christian youths in the zone would deliver the president in the general election.

On their parts, Kazeem  Bankole, leader of Yoruba community in Ebonyi and Alhaji Danjuma Gambo, leader of Hausa community in the state, declared that they would mobilise the communities to deliver Tinubu and all the APC candidates in the general election.