The Sokoto State Government has denied allegations made by the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) suggesting plans to dethrone his eminence, Sultan Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, the Sultan of Sokoto.
In a release, through the Press Secretary to Sokoto State Governor, Abubakar Bawa, the state government said MURIC should have cared to find out if there was ever any query, warning or any threatening documents served on the Sultan by the state government.
The statement read, “The state government wondered how a responsible body like MURIC, claiming to be protecting the rights of the Muslims would descend so low and cheaply 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 fear in the minds of the law-abiding and peaceful citizens of the state.
“We believe that MURIC is not the type that will be dancing to the tunes of enemies and mischief makers who are trying to take away the attention of the good people of Sokoto state and Nigerians on the transformative initiatives taking place in Sokoto State over the last one year.
“We also like to assure MURIC that the present administration just like the previous administrations in the state cherishes and respects the Sultanate Council long before MURIC was established.”
Bawa explained that the Sultanate Council, which had a long standing historical importance is so reverred by all the people of Sokoto State, “therefore we still hold the institution in very high regards and esteem.”
“This is not the first time stories such as this were fabricated to show that all is not well between the state government and the Sultanate Council, as some few months back we had a similar obnoxious story which the state government categorically condemned and denied in whole.
“From the look of things, 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.”
“We equally like to remind MURIC that promoting Islamic affairs is the second item on the Ahmed Aliyu’s nine-point Smart Agenda, therefore Islam means so much to the present administration, coupled with the fact that Sokoto being the Seat of the Caliphate, is a 100 per cent Muslim-dominated society.”
According to Bawa, “It is on record that no administration in the history of Sokoto State has done to Islam what the present administration has done in just one year. This we say without any fear of contradictions.
“Therefore, for anyone to think that the present administration could engage in acts or actions that could jeopardise the development of Islam is not only unfair but unjustifiable.
“To put the records straight, we would like to tell 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.”
SaharaReporters had earlier reported that the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) threatened to resort to radical revolution against Sokoto State Governor, Ahmed Aliyu, if he deposes the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III.
MURIC had issued the threat in a statement issued on Monday by its founder and Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, in reaction to Governor Aliyu’s reported deposition of 15 traditional rulers in the state.
Sahara Reporters
