President Bola Tinubu has expressed fulfilment after completing the lesser Hajj, known as Umrah, in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, saying he used the spiritual exercise to pray for Nigeria.
The President spoke shortly after completing the religious rites, describing the visit as a spiritual experience and an opportunity to seek divine intervention for the country.
“It’s a spiritual thing for me and the country, Nigeria. I’m grateful to Allah for this opportunity,” he said.
Asked about the significance of returning to the holy land after performing Umrah ahead of the 2023 presidential election, Tinubu described the visit as “very, very significant”.
He attributed his decision to the love of the people and his commitment to public service, while expressing faith in Allah’s will.
“I believe the love of the people, the commitment to the job, and the physical commitment to it. I believe that Allah’s wish in His court must prevail,” he said.
The President added that he prayed for peace, harmony and happiness in Nigeria.
“We just pray for our nation. We pray for everyone to live in harmony, happiness, and faith in God Almighty,” he added.
Other members of the presidential delegation also said they used the visit to pray for peace, national unity and a successful electoral process in Nigeria.
Businessman Abdul Samad Rabiu, who accompanied the President, described the visit as significant, saying the delegation was honoured to join Tinubu in the holy land.
“We are here in this sacred place to pray for Nigeria, to pray for peace, long-lasting peace for the country, for unity in Nigeria,” Rabiu said.
He added that the delegation had prayed and would continue to pray for free, fair and successful elections.
“We hope and pray that peace and unity will prevail in our country,” he said.
Tinubu’s media aide, Tunde Rahman, said the President had consistently made spiritual visits to seek Allah’s guidance over the years.
Rahman, who said he had accompanied Tinubu since 2016, noted that the President had maintained the practice of visiting the holy land to pray for himself and the country.
“There’s never been a year that we didn’t come to seek the face of our Almighty Allah,” he said.
He described the latest visit as particularly important as Nigeria prepares for elections, adding that the delegation had prayed for a successful, free, fair and credible process.
Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, also called for lasting peace and stability in the country.
“The most important thing is for the return of peace and tranquillity to Nigeria. We pray that Almighty Allah shall give us lasting peace and tranquillity in Nigeria,” he said.
Zulum also stressed the importance of peaceful elections, describing national unity and stability as essential to the country’s future.
“We believe there is nothing better than peace. We believe there is nothing better than unity of our own country,” he added.