Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Foreign Affairs and Protocol, Ademola Oshodi, has dismissed claims that the President visited Mecca in Saudi Arabia to curry favour with northerners, ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Oshodi, who stated this during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, said the trip was strictly religious as the President is a Muslim.

The aide said that Tinubu’s presence in Mecca was not political, adding that even an opposition governor, Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, was also present as a Muslim.

He advised other presidential candidates in the 2027 general elections to also seek favour from God.

The presidential aide said that though Nigerians are going through hardship, Tinubu is working to make things better.

The President arrived in Saudi Arabia on October 29 and performed the religious rites associated with Umrah, seeking Allah’s guidance and blessings for Nigeria and its people.

After completing the rites, he said that he felt fulfilled.

Tinubu, who is the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate in the 2027 general elections, also said that God has granted him the wisdom to continue to lead Nigerians.