Sokoto Assembly Passes Emirate Amendment Bill
From PAULINE PODKA, Abuja
The Sokoto State House of Assembly has passed a bill seeking to reduce the powers of the Sultan of Sokoto for first and second readings.
The bill, if passed into law, seeks to strip the Sultan of powers to appoint the kingmakers and to appoint district heads without government approval.
The Sokoto State government denied any plan to dethrone the monarch, describing the allegation as false.
State Commissioner for Information, Sambo Danchadi, explained that the law guiding the appointment of traditional rulers in the state has not been changed.
This development came a day after the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), raised concerns about an alleged plan by the Sokoto State Governor, Ahmed Aliyu, to depose the Sultan of Sokoto.
In a statement on Monday, MURIC’s Executive Director, Prof. Isiaq Akintola, expressed alarm over the potential move, which came amid controversy and tension following the deposition of several monarchs in Kano State.
The Vice President of Nigeria, Kashim Shettima, declared that the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, is much more than just the Sultan and represents an idea that belongs to the entire country.