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Thursday, 29 October 2026Lagos · LondonUpdated 15:04 GMT

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Tinubu leaves for Umrah in Makkah as Atiku and Sowore question the trip

President Bola Tinubu
Photo: Nosa Asemota / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

President Bola Tinubu left Abuja on Thursday, 29 October 2026, for Makkah in Saudi Arabia, where the Presidency says he will perform Umrah, the lesser Islamic pilgrimage. The trip has quickly become the latest flashpoint in the race for the 2027 presidential election.

What the Presidency said

Announcing the journey, the President's adviser on information and strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the visit was for spiritual reflection and prayers for Nigeria's peace, unity and progress. Before leaving, Tinubu was scheduled to commission new equipment for the Nigerian Air Force at the Presidential Wing of the Abuja airport. No return date was announced.

Atiku's demands

In a statement issued on Wednesday by Phrank Shaibu, communications director of the ADC presidential campaign, Atiku Abubakar claimed to have information that the President's real destination after a brief stop in Makkah was France. He asked the Presidency to publish daily proof of Tinubu's presence at the holy sites, to say whether the trip was linked to his health, to release the full itinerary and to explain how the journey was being paid for. The statement also raised questions about a reported loan request. Atiku said he would join other Nigerians in praying for the country but insisted the questions be answered.

Sowore's claim and the reply

Activist Omoyele Sowore also claimed the President was travelling for medical care. Responding on X on Thursday, Tinubu's aide on social media, Olusegun Dada, rejected the claim. He pointed to the President's recent schedule, including the flag-off of his re-election campaign in Kaduna, meetings at the State House and a Federal Executive Council meeting, and said a sick man could not keep such a programme. Dada added that Tinubu made similar trips before the APC primary and the general election in 2022.

What happens next

The opposition is expected to keep pressing for details while the President is away, and the Presidency has not said when he will return to Abuja.

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The National Assembly complex in Abuja
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Kenneth Okonkwo apologises to God over Tinubu presidency in TV interview

Actor and politician Kenneth Okonkwo has again criticised President Bola Tinubu's government, saying in a television interview that he did not know what Nigerians had done to deserve his presidency. Clips of the comment were widely shared online.

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Nollywood actor turned politician Kenneth Okonkwo has once again attacked President Bola Tinubu's administration, this time with a remark that quickly went viral.

What he said

Speaking on News Central TV on Wednesday, 28 October 2026, Okonkwo said he did not know what Nigerians had done to God for Tinubu to become president, and followed it with an apology to God on behalf of the country. A clip of the moment was shared widely on Instagram and X on Wednesday evening.

Background

Okonkwo, best known for his role in the 1992 classic Living in Bondage, is a lawyer and one of Nollywood's most politically active stars. He supported Tinubu's APC before switching to back Peter Obi and the Labour Party in 2023, when he served as a spokesman for Obi's campaign. He has frequently criticised the government's economic policies, including the removal of the fuel subsidy and the rising cost of living.

How people reacted

Reactions were sharply divided along political lines. Opposition supporters shared the clip as a summary of their frustration with the economy, while APC supporters reminded him of his past support for the ruling party and accused him of changing sides. The APC has not formally responded to his comments.

Why it matters

With campaigns for the January 2027 elections now in full swing, celebrities on all sides are becoming more vocal, and their comments are being used by both camps to rally supporters online.

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Two photos: a crowd gathered around a white coffin with an obituary poster, and Hilda Dokubo standing with two men outside a house
Image: social media

No permanent enemies, only permanent interests! Hilda Dokubo reportedly visits Wike, with Kingsley Chinda present

Nollywood veteran and activist Hilda Dokubo, long seen as a strong critic of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, has reportedly visited him at his Port Harcourt home, with Wike ally Kingsley Chinda also present. Nobody outside the meeting knows what was discussed, but it has raised questions about a possible reconciliation or new alliance ahead of 2027.

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Nigerian politics will teach you lessons that no university can offer!

Nollywood veteran and political activist Hilda Dokubo, who has previously been associated with strong opposition to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, has reportedly visited him at his Port Harcourt residence.

This is the same Hilda Dokubo whom critics have accused of making hostile remarks about Wike and of supporting groups that displayed his obituary on a coffin during political protests. Those allegations remain unverified.

Now, reports of a meeting between the two have raised eyebrows, especially because of the presence of Kingsley Chinda, a prominent Rivers politician widely regarded as a Wike ally.

The big question is: what could these three political figures be discussing behind closed doors?

Is this political reconciliation? A fresh alliance ahead of the 2027 elections? Or another example of the famous Nigerian political principle, "scratch my back, and I will scratch yours"?

Of course, nobody outside that meeting can say for certain what was discussed. But considering the bitter political disagreements that have characterised Rivers State politics, the reported gathering is bound to generate questions.

It is a reminder for Nigerians to be careful about fighting, insulting and destroying relationships because of politicians.

Today, two politicians are sworn enemies. Tomorrow, they are sitting in the same living room, smiling, shaking hands and possibly negotiating their next political move.

Meanwhile, their supporters are still fighting yesterday's battles on Facebook!

Never gamble your peace, friendships or future on the political quarrels of Nigerian politicians and their celebrity supporters. In Nigerian politics, today's enemy can become tomorrow's political partner.

What do you think brought Hilda Dokubo, Wike and Kingsley Chinda together? Reconciliation, political calculation or something else?

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Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma has reportedly challenged FCT Minister Nyesom Wike over his Rainbow Coalition, saying it has no presence in Imo. The exchange is the latest in a running dispute between the two over 2027 alignments, with Wike saying the platform is for Tinubu supporters and not an APC structure.

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