Sokoto Assembly Passes Bill to Strip Sultan's Power, Details Emerge

• The Sokoto state House of Assembly has passed the first and second readings of the Sokoto Emirate Council Amendment Bill
• The power of the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar III, is expected to reduce if the bill is passed into law
• Among others, the power of the Sultan to unilaterally appoint kingmakers and district heads will be stripped

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Sokoto - The Sokoto Emirate Council Amendment Bill has passed through the first and second readings at the Sokoto state House of Assembly.

If the amendment bill is passed into law, it will reduce the powers of the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar III. This includes the ability to singlehandedly appoint kingmakers and district heads without the approval of the state government, among other authorities.

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Just In: Sultan of Sokoto speaks amid alleged deposition plot

MURIC alleges plot to depose Sultan

According to The Punch, the bill's passage came days after the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) raised the alarm over Governor Ahmed Aliyu of Sokoto state's alleged plot to depose the Sultan of Sokoto.

Prof. Isiaq Akintola, the executive director of MURIC, expressed concerns over the possible move of the state government to depose the Sultan.

The development also followed ongoing controversies trailing the removal of five monarchs in Kano state.

The Islamic group maintained that the Sultan's role extends beyond traditional and religious boundaries. It also said his influence is not confined to the northwest state but covers the entire country, as he is regarded as the spiritual head of all Muslims in Nigeria.

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MURIC blows hot as Sokoto emirate council amendment bill passes 2nd reading

Sokoto governor deposes 15 emirs

Earlier, Governor Ahmed Aliyu deposed 15 traditional rulers in Sokoto for various offences.

Vice president Kashim Shettima also cautioned the state government against an alleged plot to depose the Sultan of Sokoto, adding that the stool is an institution that should be guided jealously.

However, the state government denied the allegation, stating that the law building the traditional ruler's appointment has not been changed.

Sultan of Sokoto speaks on banditry

Legit.ng earlier reported that the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Saad Abubakar III, disclosed that it would take decades for the northwest region to defeat banditry.

The president of the NSCIA then called for a collective effort to fight the region's menace while reiterating the traditional rulers' commitment to the fight.

Proofreading by Nkem Ikeke, journalist and copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng