Sokoto state government took up the gauntlet on Tuesday by taking the Vice President, Kashim Shettima, to task on his statement on Monday, which suggested that a plan was afoot to depose the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III
The government said that the Vice’presudent should have contacted Governor Ahmed Aliyu to verify the news which made the rounds on the purported plan to depose the Sultan before going public.
In a statement signed by the spokesperson of Governor Aliyu, Abubakar Bawa, the government urged the Vice President to always have full knowledge of issues of national concern before commenting on them.
“We sincerely expected the Vice President to have consulted the Governor before going public.
“As an elder statesman and a father to all, he should have facts and figures before judging on 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.
“Sultan enjoys all the powers he is entitled to. We never denied him any of his freedoms 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,” the statement read
Recall that the Vice-president had reportedly warned against the alleged plot by the Sokoto State government to dethrone the Sultan.
Shettima had issued the warning at a Northwest Security summit in Katsina, attended by the Sultan and the Sokoto State Deputy Governor who represented the governor, Ahmed Aliyu.
He had remarked that the Sultan was not just the Sultan of Sokoto but an idea that must be protected.
Shettima said: “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 must jealously guard, protect, promote, preserve and project for the good of our nation.”
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) had also sounded the alarm over the alleged plot by Sokoto state government to depose the Sultan.
The Executive Director of MURIC, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, sounded the alarm in a statement on Monday.
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