Vice President Kashim Shettima has called on the Sokoto State government to protect and honor the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar. Speaking at the North West Peace and Security Summit in Katsina State on Monday, Shettima emphasized the Sultan’s significance.
“In all developmental issues in this country, His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, I want to use him as a point of reference to recognize 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,” Shettima stated.
Shettima’s remarks followed an alarm raised by the Muslim Rights Council (MURIC). MURIC’s Executive Director, Prof. Isiaq Akintola, had alleged a plot to depose the Sultan of Sokoto.
Akintola stated, “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. 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.”
Shettima’s strong words reflect the importance of the Sultan’s role and the need for his protection.
