By Annette Ikponmwonba | November 2nd, 2026
Key Points
· Former Kogi West Senator Dino Melaye has challenged President Bola Tinubu to a Quranic citation competition
· He issued the challenge in a post on his X handle on Monday
· The challenge follows Tinubu’s spiritual visit to Saudi Arabia for the lesser Hajj, known as Umrah
· Melaye said he is ready to hold the contest as soon as the President returns from Saudi Arabia
· The President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, had shared details of Tinubu’s activities, including his visit to the Holy Ka’abah in Makkah
Main Story
Former Kogi West Senator Dino Melaye has challenged President Bola Tinubu to a Quranic citation competition following the President’s recent spiritual visit to Saudi Arabia for the lesser Hajj, known as Umrah. Melaye issued the challenge in a post on his X handle on Monday, saying he was prepared to engage the President in a contest involving Quranic citations upon his return.
“Now that Alhaji Bola Tinubu is in Umrah. Immediately he comes back, I challenge him to a Quranic citation competition with me. No one can mock God. SDM,” he wrote,The challenge comes after Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, shared details of the President’s spiritual activities in Saudi Arabia, including his visit to the Holy Ka’abah in Makkah.
The Issues
The challenge blends religion and politics at a time when the 2027 campaign is building. Melaye is a vocal critic of the administration, and his post appears aimed at questioning the sincerity or political timing of the President’s pilgrimage rather than a serious proposal for a contest.
Religion is a sensitive subject in Nigerian politics, and public comments on a leader’s religious practice can quickly draw strong reactions from supporters and critics alike. His closing line, “No one can mock God,” suggests he sees the visit as having a political dimension, though he did not spell out his accusation, The post is Melaye’s own claim and challenge. No evidence was offered in the report for any suggestion of insincerity, and it is unclear whether he expects the President to respond.
What’s Being Said
Melaye framed his message as a direct challenge to Tinubu, addressing him as Alhaji and saying he would hold the contest immediately after the President’s return, The report does not include a reaction from the Presidency, Onanuga or the APC. Onanuga’s earlier update on the Umrah trip presented it as a spiritual visit, including prayers at the Holy Ka’abah in Makkah.
What’s Next
Attention will turn to whether the Presidency or APC officials respond to Melaye’s challenge, or choose to ignore it. Supporters and critics are likely to keep trading comments on social media in the meantime, Tinubu’s return from Saudi Arabia and the continued build-up to the 2027 campaign will keep him in the public spotlight, and similar political jabs from opposition figures can be expected.
Bottom Line
Melaye has used the President’s Umrah trip to throw down a provocative public challenge, a move that is likely to generate social media debate but is unlikely to produce an actual contest.
