A Nigerian politician, Kaokab Ibraheem, has displayed a campaign poster of Bola Tinubu, a head of the Congress of all progressives (APC) and presidential candidate, in the Great Mosque of Saudi Arabia.
Mr. Ibraheem was seen in an image showing Mr. Tinubu’s campaign poster near the Kaabah, at Masjid Al-Haram, the Grand Mosque in Mecca.
Considered the holiest structure in Islam, the Kaabah is a large cubic structure covered in black cloth embroidered in gold with verses from the Koran.
The photos of Mr Ibraheem holding the banner are believed to have been taken on Thursday when his Nigerian supporters held a special Tawaf in Mr Tinubu’s honor at the Grand Mosque.
“Ready to serve,” read the caption on the campaign poster with a photo of Mr. Tinubu and Mr. Ibraheem. The latter also aspires to be a member of the House of Representatives. He seeks to represent the Alimosho Federal Constituency in 2023.
The Tawaf was attended by some Islamic scholars and political leaders from Nigeria, including Mr. Tinubu.
The former Lagos state governor is one of the leading contenders for the presidency of Nigeria’s ruling party, APC.
Since his official declaration in January, Tinubu has traveled around the country seeking support and promising to bring improvements in the areas of security and economy.
In Saudi Arabia, Tinubu’s supporters said they had “faith that Allah would guarantee a peaceful election campaign and a victory for Tinubu.”
“We have come to seek Allah’s favor and blessings for Asiwaju in the upcoming elections,” said Mudashiru Obasa, speaker of the Lagos state House of Assembly, according to a press release from his office.
“We are not testing the will and power of Allah, but asking for His blessings, support and anointing because Allah is enough for us. We are doing this in support of Asiwaju’s presidential ambition,” said the Speaker, who was also in Mecca for the prayer.
While it is generally acceptable to visit the Holy Mosque to seek Allah’s favor and His blessings, some Islamic scholars believe that it is wrong to display political banners around the Grand Mosque.
“Muslims are finally performing Umrah, the minor Hajj, with the intention of cleansing their souls and reviving their relationship with God,” said Isa Abdulrahman, a cleric from Kano.
“That goal is frustrated when the faithful go to the hallowed ground with campaign signs,” he added. “The Kaabah is the most important place in Islam. It should never be a reason for a political campaign.”
In addition, a former senator, Shehu Sani, said that “bringing political campaign banners into Ka’abah facilities is morally wrong.”
“The Hajj Commission must take serious action on this before it gets worse,” Sani wrote on Facebook. “Any guilty party should be banned for ten years from going to Mecca for Hajj and minor Hajj.”