Former lawmaker, Senator Dino Melaye and several social media influencers have reacted to a viral video purportedly showing President Tinubu being jeered following Juma’at prayers in Abuja.
As reported by the DAILY POST, the circulating footage captures the president departing the newly renovated Shehu Shagari Central Mosque in Area 1, Garki, Abuja.
In the clip, a group of Muslim youths can be heard chanting “Ba Ma Yi,” a Hausa expression signifying rejection.
Reports indicate that the incident occurred shortly after the Chief Imam offered prayers for President Tinubu and the nation.
An eyewitness account cited by Premium Times suggested that the anger was partly triggered by security restrictions that prevented worshippers from entering or leaving the mosque during the President’s visit
Reacting to the clip, Melaye described the incident as a protest against the president and his alleged ambition to seek re-election in 2027.
“Jumart prayer turned protest against Tinubu,” Melaye wrote on X (formerly twitter )
Similarly, X influencer Ahmed Umar, also known as Ahmed Au, asserted that the incident reflected growing public frustration among Nigerians.
He wrote, “Nigerians are expressing their frustration! As Tinubu passed the Area 1 Central Mosque in Abuja, people shouted ‘Ba Ma Yi!”
However, presidential media aide Bayo Onanuga dismissed reports that President Tinubu was jeered, maintaining instead that the president was warmly received at the mosque.
To counter the widely circulated footage, Onanuga shared an alternative video clip showing the president waving to the crowd prior to his departure from the venue.
Watch the video
Backstory…
Ahead of the 2027 general elections, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has stepped up efforts to secure President Bola Tinubu’s re-election through nationwide campaign.
The campaign has since moved into full mobilisation, with rallies flagged off in Kaduna on October 24 and subsequent engagements in other states.
