From Khalid Idris Doya, Bauchi
Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed of Bauchi has pleaded with the 2,090 state intending pilgrims to this year’s Hajj exercise to fervently pray for the country and its people while in Saudi Arabia.
According to the governor, if President Bola Tinubu becomes a good person, all Nigerians will immensely benefit from his goodness.
The Governor said, “Most importantly, I appeal to you to remember us in your prayers, pray for your families, your communities, Bauchi state, our dear nation, leaders at state and of course even our President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
The Governor also called on intending pilgrims from the state to conduct themselves as worthy ambassadors during pilgrimage. He also urged the pilgrims to avoid any behavior that could tarnish the image of Bauchi State and Nigeria at large, and to maintain peace and harmony with fellow pilgrims.
Speaking during a farewell at the Sultan Saad Hajj Camp in Bauchi on Wednesday, the Governor encouraged the pilgrims to dedicate their time in the holy land to prayers for a successful and spiritually fulfilling Hajj.
He told the intending pilgrims to the Holyland, “We firmly believe in the power of prayer, our nation is currently facing numerous challenges, and there is a better time than now to seek divine intervention.
“Pray for Almighty Allah to grant us lasting peace, improved security, economic prosperity, and unity as a people. I am also calling on NAHCON, it is very insensitive for all the electoral guidelines not to take into cognisance the period of Hajj”.
“Most of us cannot travel and it is very insensitive for all the electoral guidelines, electoral act, not to take into cognisance the period of Hajj because majority of Nigerians are Muslims. Almost the day that we have our Arafat is the day that most political parties would have their primaries”.
The Governor therefore called President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the National Assembly to consider the review of electoral guidelines or elections timetable to allow for this year’s intending pilgrims to Saudi Arabia fully participate in the electoral processes.
He stated, “We are pleading with Mr President, we are pleading with the National Assembly, we are pleading with NAHCON to look at this, and even INEC to give an extension so that some of us that have been going to Hajj, and all the political leaders that are supposed to go to, especially when we are facing an electoral cycle”.
Governor Bala frowned that most politicians cannot travel for the pilgrimage this year because the elections timetable has overshadowed the Hajj obligatory exercise, saying it is very insensitive for all the electoral guidelines not to take into cognisance the period of Hajj exercise.
Governor Bala Mohammed also described the negative tendencies or attitudes on the part of relevant authorities or institutions as unacceptable.
He appealed to the pilgrims to be law-abiding, and to conduct themselves with high level of discipline and decorum, avoid acts that would tarnish the good image of Bauchi state and the nation, respect the laws of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and adhere strictly to the guidelines provided by the state officials to the exercise.
Senator Bala Mohammed also enjoined them to spend their basic traveling allowances wisely and carefully, and never trust anybody except the state officiciating personnel, ensure they were not defrauded.
He stated, “I also encourage you to use this opportunity to deepen your spiritual connection with ‘Allah’, be patient, be kind to one another, and extend support to fellow pilgrims, especially the elderly and those who may require assistance, and let your actions reflect the true virtues of Islam, peace, humility and compassion”.
Mohammed on behalf of the State Muslim Pilgrims Board apologised to those that have fully paid their pilgrimage fares, but cut-off due to trimming down by the Saudi Arabia authorities of pilgrims to this year’s Hajj globally.
According to him, no fewer than 500 – 1000 state pilgrims will be left at home on ground, despite paying their obligations to the board.
He however assured the left out intending pilgrims that they would next year be on first-come, first-serve basis, to make them the first in the lineup to go to the Hajj pilgrimage from Bauchi.
For his part, the Amirul Hajj and Emir of Misau, Alhaji Alhamd Sulaiman, pledged the delegation’s commitment to working with relevant agencies to provide top-quality services to the state’s pilgrims.
