Attempt to drag the name of the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, into partisan politics and disparage him, purportedly by the campaigners of the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has been denounced.
Prince Bashir Adefaka, in a statement he issued on behalf of the Media Team of Sultan of Sokoto, called on Nigerians to ignore what he called the irresponsible and fake report suggesting that monarch has endorsed Peter Obi.
He said such statement would not have emanated from the revered Sultan of Sokoto Caliphate.
Recall that the social media on Thursday was awash with reports purportedly indicating that the Sultan of Sokoto had endorsed the LP presidential candidate, Peter Obi, vouching that Nigerians should hold him (Sultan) responsible if the Labour Party candidate failed to perform.
“Hold me responsible if Peter Obi didn’t perform well, the problem of the North is from the north, not Peter Obi or an Igbo man, it will be worst and more deadly for the North if Tinubu wins, if they tell you an Igbo man is the problem of Nigeria, tell them Igbo man never rule Nigeria before and north is world poverty capital,” the social media post had claimed.
But, the Sultan’s Media Team has distanced the foremost monarch from such position, saying: “The statement is fake because such an irresponsible write-up, credited to him, could not have emanated from anywhere near or around His Eminence Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto and President General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, NSCIA.”
Read the full statement below:
The attention of Media Team of Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has been drawn to a statement circulating on social media titled, “BREAKING: SULTAN OF SOKOTO WRITES” with an opening credited to Sultan purportedly saying, “Hold me responsible if Peter Obi didn’t perform well, the problem of the North is from the north, not Peter Obi or an Igbo man, it will be worst and more deadly for the North if Tinubu wins, if they tell you an Igbo man is the problem of Nigeria, tell them Igbo man never rule Nigeria before and north is world poverty capital”.
Ordinarily the statement should not be dignified with a pinch of reaction but because of the need to put the record straight for the sake of truth-seeking Nigerians. Recall that this is not the first time such misleading statement would be circulated in an effort to climb on the influential personality and name of the Sultan to score political goals. Unfortunately, for these pitiable political campaigners, Sultan of Sokoto is – strictly speaking – a traditional ruler and leader of Muslims of Africa’s most populous country. Moreso, as a retired Army General, his discipline, commitment and unalloyed loyalty to Nigeria is non-negotiable.
For the avoidance of doubt, the statement is fake because such an irresponsible write-up, credited to him, could not have emanated from anywhere near or around His Eminence Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto and President General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, NSCIA.
Between Wednesday and Thursday, the Sultan played host to several figures, including the outgoing and new General Officers Commanding, GOCs, 8th Division Nigerian Army, Sokoto, Major Generals O. Bassey and Godwin Mutkut, respectively; Vice Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Kashim Shettima, among others.
It would interest Nigerians to know that the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, Dr. Peter Obi was not one of those that paid visit to the palace either on Wednesday or Thursday. So, how some agents of discord whose stock-in-trade is to thrive on cooking falsehoods and peddling of fake news think that they can get through with this remains unknown to common sense.
The simple challenge is to ask them to publish a copy of the letter purportedly written by the Sultan or a video or audio clip where the Sultan endorsed Peter Obi and denied APC Presidential Candidate Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as contained in their peddled fake news. If they cannot, and of a surety they cannot, they should desist from this indefensible claim and unpardonable lie using the good name of His Eminence because it will backfire.
It should, however, be made clear to the good people of Nigeria that this, like many others in the past by the Peter Obi campaigners, would not stop the Sultan from continuing to play his role as a multifaceted leader and father of all and so, his doors will remain open to all aspirants across all parties and other meaningful people from across the country.
More important to Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar at this time and always are security, peace and unity of Nigeria, especially as the nation is fast moving into its long planned and heavily invested general elections. He will continue to support all efforts that will lead to success of the election process. So, let any incoherent claims of naysayers be ignored. Sultan is not a politician.