The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has voiced significant concerns over an alleged move by Sokoto State Governor Ahmed Aliyu to depose the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III. MURIC’s Executive Director, Prof. Isiaq Akintola, issued a statement on Monday highlighting the potential threat amidst ongoing tensions following the removal of several monarchs in Kano State.
Prof. Akintola stated, “Nigerian Muslims reject any thought of deposing the Sultan. Feelers in circulation indicate that the governor may descend on the Sultan of Sokoto any moment from now using any of the flimsy excuses used to dethrone the 15 traditional rulers whom he removed earlier.” He emphasized the Sultan’s dual role as a traditional and religious leader, saying, “The Sultan’s stool is not only traditional; it is also religious. His jurisdiction covers the whole of Nigeria. He is the spiritual head of all Nigerian Muslims.”
Governor Aliyu has a history of removing traditional rulers, having previously dismissed 15 traditional leaders for various offenses. Prof. Akintola warned that any action against the Sultan could provoke significant backlash from the Nigerian Muslim community. “Nigerian Muslims will be forced to make a hard decision if Sokoto governors continue to diminish the authority of the Sultan,” Akintola cautioned.
Referencing a past instance, Akintola recalled, “A military governor, Colonel Yakubu Muazu, exposed this soft underbelly when he deposed Sultan Ibrahim Dasuki on 20th April 1996.” He suggested that persistent undermining of the Sultan could lead to a shift towards selecting Islamic scholars over traditional rulers as leaders, stating, “It will be a farewell to the leadership of traditional rulers over the NSCIA and an irreversible departure from Sokoto’s privileged leadership position.”
In a call for legislative action, MURIC urged the Sokoto State House of Assembly to review the state’s chieftaincy laws to exempt the Sultan from deposition. “MURIC reiterates 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,” Akintola proposed.
The Sokoto State Government has not yet responded to these allegations. However, plans have been announced to amend Section 76 of the local government and chieftaincy law to better align with current practices. Nasir Binji, the state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, stated that the proposed amendment would allow the Sultanate Council to recommend candidates, while the governor retains the final authority to appoint. “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,” Binji explained.
