Tinubu’s Saudi trip for Umrah, not treatment — Aide

President Bola Tinubu. Photo: State House

Dada Olusegun, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Social Media, has said that the President’s planned trip to Saudi Arabia is to perform the lesser Hajj (Umrah), as opposed to seeking medical treatment.

Olusegun also noted that Tinubu will also seize the opportunity to pray for Nigeria and pray to God for his re-election in 2027.

The presidential aide stated this via his X handle on Thursday in response to a social media post by human rights activist Omoyele Sowore.

In an X post on Wednesday, Sowore tweeted that the country is in “serious trouble,” saying there are indications that the President was planning for a foreign trip today (Thursday) “amid growing questions about his health.”

“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.

Reacting to the posts, Olusegun refuted Sowore’s claim that Tinubu’s Saudi trip was for medical treatment.

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“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.

“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.