?.?...”He must be guarded jealously”, VP Shettima
?The Muslim Rights Concern group, (MURIC), has raised alarm over an alleged plan by Sokoto State Governor, Ahmed Aliyu, to depose the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III.
It’s Executive Director, Prof. Isiaq Akintola, made the announcement in a statement yesterday.
?The development comes amidst controversy and tension over the deposition of monarchs in Kano State.
Recall that the State governor Aliyu previously deposed 15 traditional rulers for various offences.
Under the current law, the authority to appoint district and village heads lies with the Sultanate Council. However, in practice, the Sultanate Council merely provides recommendations to the state government, with the governor ultimately making the appointments.
The State’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Nasir Binji, had clarified that the proposed amendment aimed to synchronise the legal framework with the customary procedure in Sokoto.
Addressing newsmen after a State Executive Council meeting, Binji explained that under the proposed amendment, the Sultanate Council would retain the power to recommend candidates, while the authority to appoint would be vested in the governor.
Governor Ahmed Aliyu had earlier deposed 15 traditional rulers for various offences.
Sokoto State Government is yet to react to MURIC’s allegation, but it had earlier said there was a plan to amend section 76 of the Local Government and Chieftaincy law to align with prevailing practices within the State.
However, MURIC warned that Nigerian Muslims reject any thought of deposing the Sultan, who he said is not only a traditional leader but also a religious figure with jurisdiction across Nigeria. He urged the governor to reconsider, stating that tampering with the Sultan’s stool would have far-reaching consequences.
It called on the Sokoto State House of Assembly to repeal or review the State’s chieftaincy laws, adding immunity for the office of the Sultan.
It said, “A military governor, Col. Yakubu Mu’azu, exposed this soft underbelly when he deposed Sultan Ibrahim Dasuki on 20th April 1996. Nigerian Muslims will be forced to make a hard decision if Sokoto governors continue to diminish the authority of the Sultan.
?“For the avoidance of any doubts, Sultan Muhammad Sa’d Abubakar III is not only the Sultan of Sokoto but the Sultan of the Nigerian people. His performance and style of leadership have warmed him into the hearts of Nigerians.
“Nigerian Muslims, North and South of the country, may be constrained to pick Islamic scholars only as President-General of the NSCIA their overall leader.
“It will be farewell to the leadership of traditional rulers over the NSCIA and an irreversible departure from Sokoto’s priviledged leadership position.
?According to MURIC, “history will not be kind to Col. Yakubu Mu’azu and Ahmed Aliyu for ruining the chances of Sokoto. Once is happenstance, twice is a coincidence; the third time is enemy action. If the deposition of a Sultan and NSCIA leader happens a second time, Nigerian Muslims will not allow the embarrassment to happen a third time”.
MURIC reiterated its call on the Sokoto State House of Assembly “to either repeal or review the State’s chieftaincy laws by adding the phrase ‘except the Sultan of Sokoto’ to Section 6, Cap 26 of the Laws of Northern Nigeria that empowers the State governor to depose the emirs, including the Sultan.
?“We urge Northern elites and Islamic scholars based in the North to intervene before it is too late. This is the time to lobby the Sokoto State House of Assembly and the governor himself. If the chieftaincy laws of Kano State can be repealed within 24 hours; nothing stops that of Sokoto State from being reviewed in favour of immunity for the office of the Sultan in a single day to save Nigerian Muslims from humongous embarrassment”.
?Also, ?responding to MURIC’s allegation, Vice-President, Kashim Shettima has told the Sokoto State government? that the Sultan must be guarded jealously.
?He said, “Our father, who is a permanent picture in all developmental issues in this country, His Eminence, Sultan of Sokoto – I want to use him as my point of reference to recognise and appreciate all our royal fathers present here”.
“And to the Deputy Governor of Sokoto, I have a simple message for you: Yes, the Sultan is the Sultan of Sokoto, but he is much more than that; he represents an idea. He is an institution that all of us in this country need to jealously guard, protect, promote, preserve and project for the good of our nation”.
