ASHENEWS reports that the Sokoto state government has replied Vice President Kashim Shettima, and the Executive Director of Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), Professor Ishaq Akintola over their coutionary notes to the state governor, Ahmed Aliyu on his alleged plan to dethrone Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar.
The state government, in a statement made available to newsmen on Monday night, advised Shettima to “investigate before commenting on stories on social media”. It also, in another statement, described MURIC’s claim as “untrue, baseless, biased, and unfounded”.
MURIC, in a statement by its Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola made available to newsmen on Monday, said there were feelers in circulation that the governor may descend on the Sultan of Sokoto any moment from now.
“… Felers 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.
“MURIC advises the governor to look before he leaps. The Sultan’s stool is not only traditional. It is also religious. In the same vein, his jurisdiction goes beyond Sokoto. It covers the whole of Nigeria. He is the spiritual head of all Nigerian Muslims,” MURIC stated.
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In a similar vein, Vice President Kashim Shettima stated HERE, while speaking at the North West Peace and Security Summit in Katsina on Monday, specifically called on the Deputy Governor of Sokoto State, that the Sultan is “an institution that all of us in this country need to jealousy guard, protect, promote, preserve and project for the growth of our nation.”
“In all developmental issues in this country, His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, I want to use him as a point of reverence 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 jealousy guard, protect, promote, preserve and project for the growth of our nation,” the vice president said.
Response to Shettima
Reactiong to VP Shettima in a statement titled ‘Rejoinder’, the Press Secretary to Sokoto state governor, Abubakar Bawa said “We sincerely expected the Vice President to have consulted the Governor before going public.”
SOSG to VP: Investigate before commenting on stories on social media
The Sokoto state government has called on our vice president HE Kashim Shettima to always cross-check facts before commenting on sensitive national matters.
This is coming in the wake of a recent pronouncement made by the Vice President in Katsina regarding the false story circulating that the Ahmed Aliyu-led administration is planning to remove Sultan Muhammad Saad Abubakar.
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We sincerely expected the Vice President to have consulted the Governor before going public.
The state government urges Vice President Shettima as the No. 2 citizen to have full knowledge of issues of national concern before commenting on them.
As an elder statesman and a father to all, he should have facts and figures before judging issues raised by mischief makers and the mushroom social media handlers known for negative propaganda.
The fact of the matter is that there was never any attempt to sack the Sultan nor have we sent him any threat regarding that.
The Sultan enjoys all the powers he is entitled to. We never denied him any of his freedom or rights.
We, therefore, do not need to be told to guard, protect, and promote the sultan.it is our sole responsibility.
The government and people of Sokoto cherish and adore the sultanate council and would do everything possible to protect the dignity of the revered institution”.
The Government to this end reassures all Nigerians that, it will continue to protect the sultanate council and its dignity at all times.
Response to MURIC
Also responding to MURIC’s claim, Bawa stated “The Sultanate Council, which has long-standing historical importance, is revered by all the people of Sokoto State. Therefore, we still hold the institution in very high regard and esteem.”
“The attention of the Sokoto State Government has been drawn to a malicious publication credited to the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), alleging a plan by the state government to dethrone the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar.
The state government wonders how a responsible body like MURIC, claiming to protect the rights of Muslims, would descend so low as to join hands with deluded mischief-makers and enemies of progress to fabricate such a false and unsubstantiated story just to create an unfriendly atmosphere and instill fear in the minds of the law-abiding and peaceful citizens of the state.
We believe that MURIC is not the type that will dance to the tunes of enemies and mischief-makers who are trying to distract the good people of Sokoto State and Nigerians from the transformative initiatives taking place in Sokoto State over the last year.
We also assure MURIC that the present administration, like previous administrations in the state, cherishes and respects the Sultanate Council long before MURIC was established.
The Sultanate Council, which has long-standing historical importance, is revered by all the people of Sokoto State. Therefore, we still hold the institution in very high regard and esteem.
This is not the first time such stories have been fabricated to show that all is not well between the state government and the Sultanate Council. A few months ago, we had a similar obnoxious story which the state government categorically condemned and denied in its entirety.
It appears that those nefarious detractors and distracting enemies of progress have not relented in their failed efforts to smear the cordial relationship existing between the state government and the Sultanate Council.
MURIC should have cared to find out if there was ever any query, warning, or threatening document served on the Sultan by the state government.
We would also like to remind MURIC that promoting Islamic affairs is the second item on Ahmed Aliyu’s nine-point Smart Agenda. Therefore, Islam means so much to the present administration, especially since Sokoto, being the Seat of the Caliphate, is a 100 percent Muslim-dominated society.
It is on record that no administration in the history of Sokoto State has done for Islam what the present administration has done in just one year. We say this without any fear of contradiction.
Therefore, for anyone to think that the present administration could engage in acts or actions that could jeopardize the development of Islam is not only unfair but unjustifiable.
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To set the record straight, we would like to inform the world that the relationship between the Ahmed Aliyu-led administration and the Sultanate Council, under the leadership of our most respected monarch, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has been very cordial.
The present administration always consults with His Eminence, the Sultan, on issues affecting the state, and his invaluable contributions and inputs are always respected and included in policy implementation.
Regarding the sacking and transfer of some District Heads in Sokoto State, MURIC should know that the affected District Heads were accused of unbecoming behaviors, such as land racketeering, aiding insecurity, and insubordination to the constituted authority.
To ensure fair hearing, the committee summoned all the affected District Heads, after which it came up with a whitepaper report advising the government on what to do. It was based on this report and in the public interest that the state government acted in conformity with the recommendations made by the whitepaper committee.
It is equally important for MURIC to note that nobody is above the law. Therefore, the sacked District Heads are just reaping what they sowed, and the action taken by the Sokoto State Government was indisputably in the best public interest.
