President Tinubu Defied Southwest Lobby to Reform Hajj Commission

By Aminat Damilola, Assistant Editor

Recent accounts indicate that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu defied severe ethnic and political pressure from a prominent Southwest delegation in order to proceed with the restructuring of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).

The high-stakes political drama inside the Aso Villa, it was gathered, was laid bare by the Special Adviser to the President on General Duties (Office of the Vice-President), Dr. Aliyu Moddibo.

Maddibo, who represented Vice-President Kashim Shettima at a stakeholders’ summit on the post-2026 Hajj review and NAHCON reform agenda in Abuja, gave a vivid picture of a presidency determined to break the mould of ethnic patronage, even at great political cost.

The Special Adviser added that, according to Nigeria’s standard political playbook, the former NAHCON Chairman, Alhaji Zikrullah Hassan, who hails from the Southwest, should have been kept in office to appease regional interests.

By choosing national interest over ethnic solidarity, he declared, President Tinubu has sparked a quiet storm

“The normal thing would have been for Mr. President to let Zikrullah continue because he’s a Yoruba man like him,” Madibbo said.

He said; “Actually, he took a backlash because a sizable delegation from Yorubaland came and protested to him, questioning why he would do that when he was the one who lobbied for Zikrullah’s appointment during the Buhari administration.”

Madibbo said the President remained unfazed by the regional protest, telling the agitators that “if there is a problem, we must confront it.”

He revealed that upon assuming office in 2023, President Tinubu gave Vice-President Shettima a “blank check” to clean up the commission and headhunt al reform-minded leadership.

Speaking on efficiency, Madibbo left the current NAHCON management, commissioners and stakeholders with a sobering warning regarding the gravity of their duties.

“Remember, your one leg is in Jannah, and the other leg is in the wrong place—unless you do the right thing,” he said.

He said: “If you do the right thing, the reward is Jannah. But what about the person who is facilitating the performance of a perfect Hajj?”

He commended the 10th National Assembly for its cooperation, noting that the Senate cleared three NAHCON nominees in quick succession without delays or unnecessary queries, paving the way for the ongoing institutional reforms.

Minister of State, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mariya Mahmoud, has called for comprehensive reforms in Nigeria’s Hajj administration to build a transparent, efficient, accountable and pilgrim-centred system capable of setting the benchmark for service excellence

“Repositioning Nigeria’s Hajj Industry as a Model of Service Excellence”, as timely and significant, noting that it reflects the nation’s collective resolve to improve the quality of services rendered to pilgrims.

According to the minister, Hajj is not only a sacred religious obligation, but also an exercise that requires meticulous planning, seamless coordination and exceptional service delivery.

“Every pilgrim deserves an experience that reflects dignity, safety, comfort and professionalism. Achieving this requires commitment, transparency and accountability from stakeholders,” she said.

Mahmoud lauded NAHCON for convening the summit to undertake a critical assessment of the 2026 Hajj operations, stressing that honest evaluation of achievements and challenges remained essential to strengthening public confidence and driving institutional reforms.

She reaffirmed the commitment of the Federal Capital Territory Administration to initiatives that improve public service delivery, emphasising that collaboration among governments, regulatory agencies, service providers, state Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards and religious leaders is indispensable to building a more efficient and sustainable Hajj management system.

The minister advised participants to make meaningful contributions during the summit by drawing on practical experience and global best practices.

“Recommendations from this summit should provide a clear roadmap for sustainable reforms that will enhance efficiency, accountability, innovation and pilgrims’ satisfaction,” she said.

Mahmoud lauded President Tinubu for his commitment to institutional reforms under the Renewed Hope Agenda, noting that the administration’s emphasis on transparency, efficiency and people-centred governance continues to strengthen critical national institutions, including those responsible for Hajj administration.

She acknowledged the leadership of the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, for fostering an environment that supports reforms and excellence in public service delivery.

The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NAHCON, Amb. Ismail Yusuf, said the purpose of the summit was not just to review one season, but also to reposition Hajj processes for effective performance.

He said the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was executing vision 2030, the most ambitious transformation of pilgrimage administration in modern history, adding that the forum should be seen as a forum for accountability.

According to him, the modest achievements recorded during the 2026 Hajj operation must be interrogated and how such achievements could be improved upon.