Oyo State Governor and Allied Peoples Movement (APM) presidential candidate, Seyi Makinde, has criticised President Bola Tinubu over his trip to Saudi Arabia to pray for Nigeria, insisting that prayers can be offered within the country without travelling abroad.
Makinde made his position known on Thursday while speaking at the APM South-East Town Hall Meeting in Enugu State, where he questioned the need for the President to travel to the Middle East to seek divine intervention for Nigeria.
According to the governor, Nigerian leaders can pray for the country while remaining at home and sharing in the challenges confronting citizens.
Makinde said he learnt through social media that Tinubu was travelling to Saudi Arabia to pray for Nigeria, adding that the country’s leaders could equally seek divine guidance without leaving the country.
“I read on social media that our President is travelling to Saudi Arabia to pray for Nigeria. Prayers are answered even in this country. We will stay here and pray for our country and leaders,” he said.
The governor stressed that his political party would not adopt the practice of travelling abroad for prayer trips, maintaining that its members would remain in Nigeria to pray for the country and its leadership.
Makinde’s comments came after the Presidency announced that Tinubu would travel to Makkah, Saudi Arabia, to perform Umrah, an Islamic pilgrimage commonly referred to as the lesser Hajj.
The President departed Abuja on Thursday and arrived in Jeddah, where he was received by Nigerian and Saudi officials, alongside prominent Nigerian businessman Abdulsamad Rabiu and other dignitaries.
According to the Presidency, the trip was intended to provide the President with an opportunity for spiritual reflection and prayers for Nigeria’s peace, unity, stability and continued progress.
However, Makinde’s remarks have added to the public debate surrounding the President’s foreign trip, particularly at a time when Nigerians continue to grapple with economic difficulties and other national challenges.
The governor maintained that leaders should remain connected to the people and demonstrate concern for their circumstances, arguing that prayers for the country need not require travelling outside its borders.
His comments also come amid wider political discussions ahead of the 2027 general election, with opposition figures increasingly scrutinising the Federal Government’s policies and decisions.
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