The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has condemned the Sokoto State House of Assembly for passing the Emirate Council Amendment Bill, which seeks to strip the Sultan of Sokoto of certain powers.
The bill, which scaled second reading on Wednesday, seeks to amend the Emirate Council Law to require the Sultan to obtain government approval before appointing kingmakers and district heads.
The passage has sparked fears of a potential showdown between the state government and the Sultanate Council.
According to the bill, the Sultan will need to obtain approval from the state government before appointing kingmakers and district heads, a move that has drawn criticism from MURIC and other Muslim groups.
The state government has defended the move, saying it is aimed at promoting transparency and accountability in the administration of the emirate.
However, in a statement by its Executive Director, MURIC, Ishaq Akintola, accused the government of attempting to weaken the Sultanate Council and undermine the traditional institution.
According to him, “The bill is outrageous, nauseating, and anachronistic. It is a direct attack on the traditional institution of Sokoto State. Instead of entrenching the powers of the Sultan, it is an undisguised attempt at weakening his powers and making him less relevant in the scheme of traditional settings.
“The governor is preparing the ground for dismantling the Sultanate Council and setting up his own personal Sultanate Council, a council that will be totally controlled from government house. That is the only logical explanation for his removal of 15 traditional rulers in a single day”, he said.
The bill’s passage comes amid tensions between the state government and the Sultanate Council, which has seen the removal of 15 traditional rulers recently.
