The presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has said that successfully performing seven tawaf trips at the Umrah in Saudi Arabia further confirmed his fitness to be Nigeria’s president.
Tinubu said this in an interview with Kano-based Freedom Radio, in Saudi Arabia, shortly before his return to Nigeria.
The APC flagbearer said no ailing person could complete the tawaf trips.
According to Hajj Umrah Planner, Tawaf is one of the principal rites of the pilgrimage and refers to circumambulating or walking in circles around the Kaaba in an anti-clockwise motion. Seven complete circuits, with each one starting and ending at the Hajar al-Aswad, constitute one Tawaf.
Tinubu returned to Abuja on Sunday night to a resounding welcome from teeming supporters.
, “I just finished performing the Umrah. I did the seven rounds of tawaf and did the seven trips between Safa and Marwa by myself. Can a sick person do that? That is stale news my brother.
“People who are making those insinuations have nothing else to say but lies and rubbish. I have moved round, spoke at different platforms and stood for hours to address different audiences. Before they said I could not walk. They said I could not stand but they are shamed.
“Since the campaign started I have marshalled more original ideas than anyone else. I have demonstrated knowledge, experience and great capacity to be on top of issues in the country. And this job is about ideas and issues regarding leadership of our country.
“I have all it takes to be the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and I am asking people of the country to have confidence and respect for that, look at my background and my previous assignments. I want to serve the country and serve the country very well,” Tinubu said.
He said he embarked on the lesser hajj almost annually due to the need to connect with Allah.
“It is a personal trip. It is a trip for spiritual rebirth. I like coming to perform the Umrah every now and then. It is an opportunity to connect with almighty Allah, Lam ya lid wa lam yulad. We need his guidance. Nigeria is in need of prayers and that is why we are here praying for our country, self and the society,” Tinubu said.