President Bola Tinubu was reportedly met with rejection chants from a section of the crowd shortly after attending Friday prayers at the renovated Shagari Mosque in Area 1, Garki, Abuja.
The incident occurred on Friday, November 13, 2026, when the President visited the mosque for prayers.
Eyewitness accounts indicated that some people began shouting ‘Bamayi’ as he prepared to leave the premises.
The Hausa expression, commonly used to communicate rejection or refusal, was heard shortly after the prayers ended.
Some individuals were also reported to have thrown stones and other objects towards the President’s departing convoy.
A video circulating on social media captured the reported incident, with voices heard shouting the rejection slogan as the presidential convoy moved away from the area.
Tinubu had attended the Jumat prayer at the renovated mosque, where the Chief Imam, Rabiu Suleiman, delivered a sermon centred on faith, trust in God and the importance of peace.
During the sermon, the Imam reportedly prayed for Nigeria and asked God to grant the President wisdom in leading the country.
However, the atmosphere reportedly changed after the prayers as some people gathered around the mosque and began expressing their displeasure.
The incident has attracted attention because it occurred during a public appearance by the President in the Federal Capital Territory, where security arrangements are usually put in place for his movements.
Although the exact identities of those involved in the incident have not been established, the chants have raised concern about public dissatisfaction with the Tinubu administration.
Since assuming office in May 2023, Tinubu’s administration has implemented several economic reforms, including the removal of the petrol subsidy and changes to the foreign exchange system.
The government has repeatedly defended the policies, arguing that they are necessary to address longstanding economic challenges, improve government revenue and create a more sustainable economy.
However, the reforms have also placed considerable pressure on households and businesses, with many Nigerians expressing concerns about the cost of transportation, food and other essential commodities.
Moreover, the use of ‘Bamayi’ is particularly significant because the expression has featured in several political gatherings in Northern Nigeria in recent months.
The latest occurrence at the Shagari Mosque has also raised questions about the level of dissatisfaction among some members of the public and how such reactions could influence political activities ahead of the next general election.
In a related development, a similar rejection chant was reported during President Tinubu’s 2027 re-election campaign activities in Kaduna State on October 24, 2026.
POLITICS NIGERIA recalls that the APC’s presidential campaign flag-off in Kaduna attracted attention after a section of the crowd was reportedly heard shouting ‘Bamayi’ during the event.
The incident occurred at Ranchers Bees Stadium, where the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) commenced its campaign activities ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Tinubu attended the event alongside several APC leaders and political figures from the North-West region.
However, the gathering was reportedly disrupted at some points by the rejection chants, particularly when the President mentioned Nigeria during his address.
The development generated reactions after videos from the event circulated on social media.
Yushau Adamu, Regional Editor of Daily Trust, subsequently spoke about the incident during an appearance on Trust TV, where he discussed the atmosphere at the campaign venue and the reaction from some attendees.
Adamu confirmed that the rejection chants were heard while Tinubu was addressing the gathering.
He said, “Certainly, when the President began his speech, people around chanted ‘Bamayi’ [We don’t want you] when the President mentioned Nigeria. This disrupted the President’s speech before he continued,” he stated.
The journalist also discussed the circumstances surrounding Tinubu’s arrival at the campaign venue.
According to him, the President arrived several hours after the scheduled commencement of the event, leaving some attendees exhausted after waiting under the sun.
Adamu explained that the rally was initially scheduled for 10 a.m., but Tinubu arrived about five hours later.
He said the delay affected the atmosphere at the venue, as some people had spent several hours waiting for the President.
The Daily Trust editor further disclosed that security arrangements were tightened when the President was preparing to leave the stadium.
He explained that people were cleared from the major road leading towards the airport, apparently to prevent another incident involving rejection chants as the presidential convoy passed.
Adamu said, “Again, this might not be unconnected with the hours spent waiting for the President under the scorching sun. That was why security was tightened when he was about to leave the venue for the airport and then to Abuja.”
He added, “They probably anticipated that people might chant “Bamayi” (we don’t want you) when he was leaving, so people were chased away from the main road through which the President was expected to pass to the airport.”
The journalist also questioned the nature of the crowd mobilisation at the campaign, claiming that some attendees had been brought from other states to participate in the event.
He recounted speaking with a woman who allegedly told him that she had travelled from Bauchi State after being promised N10,000 and a hijab for attending.
The account generated further discussions about political mobilisation and the willingness of supporters to attend campaign activities ahead of the 2027 elections.
