By Abiola Olawale
The Sokoto State Government has officially refuted allegations suggesting that Governor Ahmed Aliyu is involved in a scheme to dethrone the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, a spokesman for the state government, Abubakar Bawa, said the Governor has a cordial relationship with the Sultan and has no such plans.
According to Bawa, the emerging speculations are an attempt targeted at smearing the cordial relationship existing between the state government and the Sultanate Council.
The New Diplomat reports that the speculations emerged after a religious organisation, the Muslims Rights Concern (MURIC), raised alarm on an alleged plot by the state government to dethrone the Sultan.
Subsequently, Vice President Kashim Shettima on Monday said the throne of the Sultan is an institution that must be jealously guarded and protected.
However, in the statement issued on Tuesday, the Sokoto State Government faulted the accusations as baseless and false
Bawa also noted that the administration of Aliyu cherishes and respects the Sultanate Council.
The statement reads in part: “The Sultanate Council, which has a long-standing historical importance is so referred to all the people of Sokoto State, therefore we still hold the institution in very high regard and esteem.
“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,” the statement read.
Bawa said the “present administration always consulted with His Eminence, the Sultan on issues affecting the state, and his invaluable contributions and inputs are always respected and included in policy implementation”.
“On the issue of sacking and transfer of some District Heads in Sokoto State, MURIC should know that the affected District Heads were accused of some unbecoming behaviours, such as land racketeering, aiding insecurity as well as insubordination to the constituted authority.
“To give them a fair hearing the committee summoned all the affected District Heads, after which it came up with a whitepaper report, advising the government on what to do. And it was based on that and also in the public interest that the state government acted in conformity with the recommendations made by the whitepaper committee,” the statement added.
