The Sokoto State Government has refuted the claim by the Muslims Rights Concern (MURIC) over a purported plan by the state to dethrone the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, describing the allegation as a malicious publication.
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 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.
In a statement on Tuesday morning by Abubakar Bawa, the press secretary to Governor Ahmed Aliyu, the state further described the publication as baseless, biased and unfounded.
The statement assured MURIC that the administration just like the previous administrations in the state, cherishes and respects the Sultanate Council long before MURIC was established.
Bawa, in the statement, pointed out that, “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.
“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.
“We equally like to remind MURIC that promoting Islamic affairs is the second item on Governor 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.
“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.”
He further added in putting the records straight, that “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 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 the sacking and transfer of some District Heads in Sokoto State, the statement reminded MURIC that the affected District Heads were accused of some unbecoming behaviours including land racketeering, aiding insecurity as well as insubordination to the constituted authority.
“In order to give them a fair hearing, the committee summoned all the affected District Heads, after which it came up with a white-paper report, advising the government on what to do. And it was based on that and in the public interest that the state government acted in conformity with the recommendations made by the white-paper committee,” the statement said.
Sokoto State government also emphasised that, it is equally important for MURIC to note that nobody is above the law, adding that the sacked District Heads are just reaping what they sow and that the action taken by the state was indisputably in the best public interest.