Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate for the All Progressives Congress, has once more defended his health, stating that no sick person could do seven trips as he did at Umrah.
Shortly before his trip to Saudi Arabia, Tinubu made the claim in an interview with Kano’s leading independent radio station, Freedom Radio.
Unlike the ajj, which has set dates according to the Islamic calendar, the umrah is an annual pilgrimage to Mecca that Muslims do.
The former governor of Lagos State was welcomed with open arms as he landed at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport in Abuja on Sunday night.
The APC candidate stated that he is qualified to hold the post of president and said that his detractors have nothing but lies and conjecture to spread.
I recently finished the Umrah, he declared. I traveled on my own for the seven tawaf rounds and seven excursions between Safa and Marwa. Can someone who is ill do that? My brother, those are old news.
“The individuals making those hints have nothing but falsehoods to say. I have traveled, spoken on many stages, and stood for hours to address various audiences. Before, they claimed I was unable to walk. Although they are ashamed, they claimed I could not stand.
“I have gathered more original ideas than anyone else since the campaign began. I’ve proven to have expertise, experience, and a strong aptitude for keeping up with national affairs. Additionally, this position involves concepts and problems related to national leadership. I am requesting that the citizens of the nation have faith in and respect for my ability to serve as president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by looking at my past and previous responsibilities. I wish to provide excellent service to my country.
He said that his Umrah journey was a spiritual rebirth and said that the nation is in desperate need of prayers.
“This is a private trip. It is a spiritual rebirth journey. I enjoy coming to perform Umrah on occasion. It is a chance to communicate with Almighty Allah, Lam ya lid wa lam yulad. We require his advice. Nigeria is in desperate need of prayers, which is why we have gathered here to pray for our country, ourselves, and society.”
This comes as he defends his decision to hold town hall meetings and political engagements across the country, claiming that holding rallies across the country will not be enough to win the 2023 presidential election.
“We are reaching out to every Nigerian. Rallies, we decided, aren’t always enough. We need to involve all Nigerians from all parts of the country and from all walks of life. We’ve hired business owners, farmers, miners, industrialists, entertainers, labor leaders, and others.
“By the engagements we are having, it is clear that we are going to win this election. The signs are clear as the elections approach, which is why our opponents are nervous. To score cheap points, they have now resorted to spreading fake news and quoting some of my statements out of context.
“Recently I was asked about fuel subsidy removal and I said I will ensure we end the wastage and re-channel the money to the people who truly need it.
This is one position on which almost all of the candidates agree.
We all agreed that the subsidy system is abused and that it benefits the wealthy over the poor.
It must be removed.
I couldn’t have objected to people expressing their own views on this.
“I believe in consultation, which is guaranteed by democratic values and norms.
I respect people’s opinions and would not be a part of stifling legitimate protests or dissenting views.
I have experience with protests.
So why should I advise people not to engage in well-intended protest?
“There is no excuse for that, and no abuse of power is intended,” he stated.
