THE Muslim Media Watch Group (MMWG) has warned the Sokoto State governor Ahmad Aliyu, not to attempt to remove the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, from his position.
It also criticised the dethronement of Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero as the Emir of Kano by the Kano State governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, to pave the way for the reinstatement of Muhammadu Sanusi II, who was removed from the position four years ago.
The group, in a statement signed by its national, Alhaji Ibrahim Abdullahi, said “it is very disheartening that our traditional and religious institutions are being desecrated by politicians who remove highly revered and respected traditional rulers, especially in Northern Nigeria, like political officeholders.”
The group also warned traditional and religious leaders to desist from involving themselves in “political partisanship and parochialism.”
The MMWG maintained that the Muslim traditional Institutions in Northern Nigeria, “from time immemorial, has been greater in the sight of man and God than that of politicians.”
It, however, stated that “the towering position of the Sultan of Sokoto and leader of entire Nigerian Muslims is far greater than that of any other traditional ruler or religious leader in Nigeria” and therefore admonished political leaders across the country to learn “a serious lesson from the unwarranted removal of the Emir of Kano by the Kano State government,” an action which it said had “turned out to be problematic for the state government.”
The group described as sacrilegious, the deposition of emirs and appointment of new ones “based of political consideration,” saying “it is a negation of the principle of Allah who is the ultimate possessor of power and who gives it to whoever He wishes.”
It appealed to Muslims all over the country not to entertain any fears about the “magnificient position” of the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) presently held by Sultan Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar.
The group described Abubakar as the best ever Sultan to be enthroned “because of his leadership qualities, generosity, commitment and vision for islamic development in Africa and the world at large.”
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