As the Emirate Council Amendment Bill passes its second reading, MURIC attacks the Sokoto Assembly

The Emirate Council Amendment Bill, which aims to deprive the Sultan of Sokoto of some rights, was passed by the Sokoto State House of Assembly, to the disapproval of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).

The Emirate Council Law will be amended by the measure, which on Wednesday passed its second reading, to mandate that the Sultan get government consent before designating kingmakers and district leaders.

Fears of a future confrontation between the Sultanate Council and the state administration have increased since the bill’s passing.

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, MURIC in a statement by its Executive Director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, accused the government of attempting to weaken the Sultanate Council and undermine the traditional institution.

He said, “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.

“Ahmed Aliyu is exhibiting the symptoms of fascism, totalitarianism, and prebendalism. Nigerian Muslims are already asking, ‘Why the rush?’ Why are they rushing the bill if there is no hidden agenda? The whole exercise is suggestive of political motivation.

“Power tends to corrupt, absolute power corrupts absolutely. We appeal to lawmakers in the Sokoto State House of Assembly to halt the progress of the current bill. Instead, they should turn to the section of the state’s chieftaincy law which empowers the governor to remove the Sultan with a view to amending it in such a way that will exempt the Sultan from dethronement.”

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.

The development has also raised questions about the limits of state power and the role of traditional institutions in modern governance.