A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Musa Iliyasu Kwankwaso, has condemned what he describes as a deliberate attempt to distract the leadership of Professor Abdullahi Saleh Pakistan, the Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).
Kwankwaso was reacting to reports suggesting that thousands of intending pilgrims might be unable to participate in the 2025 Hajj. He dismissed these claims, stating that they are misleading and meant to undermine the commission’s leadership.
He noted that the report is not only a direct attack on the NAHCON chairman but also an attempt to discredit the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He urged the public, especially those planning to go on the pilgrimage, to disregard the allegations.
“Our attention has been drawn to a series of media reports claiming thousands of intending pilgrims may lose the 2025 Hajj exercise. This a blatant lie intended to derail the leadership of Professor Abdullahi Saleh Pakistan.
“We are aware that this campaign of calumny is being sponsored by the opposition. They are afraid that if the NAHCON chairman is allowed he will turn things around as evidenced by his superlative performance.
“We are also aware that some hack writers are being sponsored by the same oppositions to spew lies against the person of Professor Abdullahi Saleh Pakistan by disseminating unverified information.
“This is purely a distracting strategy to ensure that the Tinubu administration fails. But they will not succeed. And this misrepresentation will not be allowed unchecked.
“It quite ironic that the authors of the said report and their sponsors decided to pick on the NAHCON chairman, despite his superlative performance and his decisiveness to ensure that the 2025 Hajj is hitch-free.
“The NAHCON chairman had responded to their earlier accusation that he cancelled the contracts of the two companies. The contract was cancelled by the Saudi authorities. This was clarified.
“He was on an official visit to Saudi Arabia to resolve the issue once and for all, when the report came out. But because their intention is not to ensure effective deliverance of the 2025 Hajj exercise, they came up with another malicious report.”
He added, “I want to urge the intended pilgrims to stay calm. Pakistan was appointed by his Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu based on merit. He has the capacity to deliver.
“The 2025 Hajj will be one of the best in the history of Nigeria. They will all be happy and thank President Tinubu for appointing Pakistan to head NAHCON.
“His Excellency Vice President Kashim Shatima has addressed this issue in a recent press statement. He said that there is no cause for alarm. No single registered pilgrim will be left behind. He also dismissed allegations from the Forum of States Pilgrim Welfare Agencies that the contract dispute could derail the pilgrimage. Therefore, no iota of lies by naysayers will work. NAHCON will deliver on 2025 Hajj exercise by God’s grace.
