The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has urged the Sokoto House of Assembly to halt the proposed amendment to the state’s emirate council law, which could diminish the powers of the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Abubakar. The Sokoto Emirate Council Amendment Bill, which has already passed its first and second readings, would require the Sultan to obtain state government approval for appointing district heads.
In a statement on Wednesday, MURIC’s founder and executive director, Ishaq Akintola, called the amendment bill “outrageous and anachronistic,” alleging it aims to weaken the Sultan’s authority and make him irrelevant. Akintola accused Governor Ahmad Aliyu of seeking to control the Sultanate Council from the government house and described the bill as a politically motivated attempt to undermine the traditional institution.
MURIC criticized the governor’s recent removal of 15 traditional rulers in a single day, warning that such actions suggest a hidden agenda. The group called on Sokoto lawmakers to reject the bill and instead amend the chieftaincy law to protect the Sultan from arbitrary removal, emphasizing the need for a stable Sultanate Council for the unity of the Ummah.
Despite the Sokoto State government’s denial of any plans to depose the Sultan, MURIC remains adamant that the traditional ruler is being targeted. The group has previously claimed that there are plans to dethrone the Sultan, an allegation the state government denies. MURIC continues to insist that the amendment bill is an attack on the traditional institution and urges lawmakers to stop its progress.
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