The Sokoto State Government has denied any plot by it to dethrone the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III.
Specifically, the government said that the allegations by Muslims Rights Concern (MURIC) were aimed at creating an unfriendly atmosphere, as well as, fear in the minds of law-abiding and peaceful citizens of the state.

MURIC, on Monday, in a statement by its Executive Director, Prof. Isiaq Akintola, raised the alarm over alleged moves by Governor Ahmad Aliyu to depose the monarch.  
  
Akintola also noted that feelers indicated that the governor may descend on the monarch any moment from now deploying any of the “flimsy excuses used to dethrone the 15 traditional rulers whom he removed earlier.”
  
According to him, the Sultan’s role is not only traditional but also religious, extending beyond Sokoto to cover all Nigerian Muslims as their spiritual head.
  
But the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr Abubakar Bawa, in a statement yesterday, said that MURIC should not be seen as the type that should be dancing to the tunes of enemies and mischief makers, “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.”

He explained that the current administration, like the previous ones, cherished and respected the Sultanate Council long before MURIC was established.
  
Bawa said the Sultanate Council, which has a long-standing historical importance, is so revered by the Sokoto people, adding: “We still hold the institution in very high regard 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,” the governor’s aide stated.

He continued: “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.

“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.”
  
While reminding MURIC that promoting Islamic affairs is the second item on Ahmed Aliyu’s nine-point Smart Agenda, Bawa maintained that “Islam means so much to the current administration, coupled with the fact that Sokoto being the Seat of the Caliphate, is a 100 percent Muslim-dominated society.

“It is on record that no administration in the history of Sokoto State has done to Islam what the current administration has done in just one year. This, we say without any fear of contradictions,” he added. 

Bawa said for anyone to think that the current administration could engage in acts or actions that could jeopardise the development of Islam is not only unfair but unjustifiable.

He said 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 current 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.”

Explaining why some district heads were sacked and transferred, the governor’s aide said MURIC should know that the affected were accused of some unbecoming behaviours such as land racketeering, aiding insecurity, as well as, insubordination to the constituted authority.

He stated that to give a fair hearing, a committee set up by the state government summoned all the affected district heads, after which it came up with a report, advising the government on what to do.

“And it was based on the report and in the public interest that the state government acted in conformity with the recommendations made by the whitepaper committee.

“It is equally important for MURIC to note that nobody is above the law, therefore, the sacked district heads are just reaping what they sowed, and that the action taken by the Sokoto State government was indisputably in the best public interest,” he added.