By Mohammed Bello Doka
Relations between the government of Sokoto State and the traditional institution are deteriorating rapidly with Governor Ahmed Aliyu’s planned new law on the appointment of traditional rulers. The proposed legislation, approved by the Executive Council and awaiting state house assembly consideration, seeks to grant the governor absolute power to appoint and dismiss chiefs.
Attorney General Nasiru Mohammed Binji announced that the Council aims to amend the District Heads Appointment Law of 2008, which currently vests appointment authority in the Sultanate Council. This move follows several incidents indicating the government's hostile stance towards the Sultanate Council since Ahmed Aliyu’s administration began in May 2023.
Recently, the Sokoto state government announced the sacking of 15 District Heads and redeployed two others, citing recommendations from a committee tasked with reviewing traditional ruler appointments and other administrative changes. The government attributed the dismissal of nine District Heads to offenses such as insubordination, aiding insecurity, land racketeering, and conversion of public properties for personal use. The remaining six were removed due to procedural issues in their appointments and lack of acceptance by their communities.
Observers see this as part of a broader agenda against Sultan Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar and the Sultanate Council. Malam Ibrahim Cika, an opposition party chieftain, believes the government's actions reflect a longstanding agenda to undermine the Sultan. Cika points out that the APC's campaign slogan, “A new government, a new Sultan,” suggests a deliberate strategy to degrade the Sultanate.
Dr. Idris Abubakar of Usman Danfodiyo University highlights that one of Governor Aliyu’s first actions was to reverse all District Head appointments made by his predecessor, disregarding the Sultanate Council's recommendations. A committee chaired by APC state chairman Alhaji Isa Sadiq Achida summoned 17 Sultanate Council members to investigate partisan issues unrelated to their traditional roles.
This pattern of behavior echoes the actions of Aliyu’s political mentor, Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, who also frequently dismissed and appointed District Heads during his tenure. Sources within the Sultan’s palace note strained relations with the new administration, citing instances where the Sultan was publicly snubbed by the governor and his mentor.
Retired civil servant Alhaji Amiru Malami criticizes the current administration for continuing Wamakko's legacy of political vendetta against traditional rulers. He argues that politicians are undermining the traditional institution's sanctity and integrity, as seen in the repeated dismissal and reinstatement of the District Head of Yabo.
Opponents of the proposed law argue that it is a pretext for the government's attack on the Sultanate Council. They challenge the government's allegations of procedural violations and aiding insecurity, calling for specific evidence to substantiate these claims. The established process involves nominations by local government councils, endorsement by the Sultanate Council, and approval by the State Governor, ensuring stakeholder involvement in traditional ruler appointments.
Prominent cleric Murtala Assada, once a close ally of Ahmed Aliyu, has condemned the district heads' removal as politically motivated. He urges the dismissed rulers to challenge the governor's actions in court, highlighting the administration's intolerance and disregard for others' rights.
Public sentiment is largely critical of Governor Aliyu’s actions, with many fearing that his efforts to diminish the Sultanate's integrity are paving the way for an eventual confrontation with Sultan Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, in line with the APC's campaign promise of a "new Sultan."
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