Sultan denies purported endorsement of Obi

• Published date: 21 January 2023
• Publication title: Nigeria - The Nation

The Sultan of Sokoto and President General, Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Muhammad Sa'ad Abubakar has refuted and described as fake a recent write - up credited to him endorsing the presidential candidate of Labour Party , Mr Peter Obi.

In a nine - paragraph statement made available to reporters by Mr Bashir Adefaka , described as a member of Sultan's Media Team in reaction to the write - up circulating on social media tilted: 'Breaking : Sultan of Sokoto Writes' the revered monarch said it is fake.

He said such a write-up, credited to him, could not have emanated from anywhere near or around him.

In the discredited statement , the Sultan purportedly said : 'Hold me responsible if Peter Obi didn't perform well, the problem of the North is from the north, not Peter Obi or an Igbo man, it will be worst and more deadly for the North if Tinubu wins, if they tell you an Igbo man is the problem of Nigeria, tell them Igbo man never rule Nigeria before and north is world poverty capital'.

Adefaka noted that it was not the first time such misleading statement would be circulated in an effort to use the name of an influential personality or that of the Sultan to score political points.

' Unfortunately for these pitiable political campaigners, Sultan of Sokoto is - strictly speaking - a traditional ruler and leader of Muslims of Africa's most populous country. Moreso, as a retired Army General, his discipline, commitment and unalloyed loyalty to Nigeria is non-nogotiable.

' The statement is fake because such an irresponsible write-up, credited to him, could not have emanated from anywhere near or around His Eminence , Alhaji Muhammad Sa'ad Abubakar, CFR, mni, the Sultan of Sokoto and President General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) ,' Adefaka said

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