Phrank Shaibu, Special Assistant on Public Communications to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, has criticised President Bola Tinubu over the continued detention of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai.
Shaibu questioned Tinubu’s sincerity of faith, arguing that the President’s treatment of a fellow Muslim contradicted the religious values associated with his recent Umrah pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia.
The Atiku aide made the remarks while reacting to Tinubu’s religious visit, accusing the President’s supporters of attempting to associate the pilgrimage with his political ambition ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
He insisted that religious activities should not be turned into political campaigns or presented as evidence of divine endorsement for a candidate seeking re-election.
“It does look like the president’s got some spiritual nod there, some kind of Saudi Arabia endorsement for a re-election,” Shaibu said.
He added that no presidential candidate could secure a second term through claims of spiritual backing.
“No second term can be given to anybody via a spiritual claim,” he declared.
Shaibu also argued that the Umrah pilgrimage could ordinarily be completed within a few hours, although worshippers were free to spend additional days performing the religious rites.
He contrasted Tinubu’s pilgrimage with Atiku’s religious activities, claiming that the former Vice-President had undertaken Umrah more than 32 times without turning the visits into political publicity.
According to him, Atiku also spent the entire 30 days of Ramadan in Saudi Arabia during the previous year’s fasting period.
Shaibu maintained that the former Vice-President had consistently treated his religious activities as private acts of worship rather than political opportunities.
The Atiku aide subsequently turned his criticism to El-Rufai’s detention, alleging that the former Kaduna governor was being held because of political disagreements with Tinubu’s camp.
“As for Bola Tinubu, does he have the sincerity of faith? If he had sincerity of faith, he would not keep a fellow Muslim, Nasir El-Rufai, in detention perpetually over minor political disagreement,” he said.
However, Shaibu’s claim that El-Rufai’s detention is politically motivated remains an allegation and should not be treated as an established fact.
The former Kaduna governor has been embroiled in legal and political controversies following the breakdown of his relationship with the President’s political camp.
Tinubu’s recent Umrah pilgrimage has attracted political attention amid growing discussions about his possible second-term ambition in 2027.
Shaibu’s remarks further highlight the escalating exchanges between supporters of Atiku, who is positioning himself for the next presidential contest, and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
