You have no power to appoint anyone — Sokoto Govt tells Sultan

Binji said the Sultan's appointment of district heads is not valid without the approval of the state governor.

The power of the Sultan of Sokoto State, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar seems to have been whittled down as the Sokoto State Government said the monarch has no power to appoint anyone.

The state Commissioner of Justice, Barrister Nasiru Binji, said the chieftaincy law in the state contravenes the constitution of Nigeria.

Binji who spoke at the public hearing on the Sokoto Local Government and Chieftaincy Law 2008, on Tuesday, July 2, 2024, said section 76(2) of the law is inconsistent with section 5(2) of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

Citing the Constitution, Binji said although the Sokoto Local Government and Chieftaincy Law gives the sultanate council the power to appoint district and village heads, the appointment is not valid without the approval of the state governor.

“Section 5(2) of the constitution stipulates that the executive power to appoint in the state is vested on the Governor directly or through his deputy, commissioners or any government agent assigned by the Governor.

“So, there is no power given to the sultanate council to appoint. Section 76(2) of the Sokoto Local Government and Chieftaincy Law gives the sultanate council the power to appoint district and village heads in the state but with the approval of the sitting Governor.

“So the section is inconsistent with the 1999 constitution as amended and therefore it cannot stand. Because the power to appoint is the executive power and who exercises the power, is it not the Governor? This is the reason for the amendment. To correct the mistake of the past,” he said.

Recall that Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) recently expressed concern about Governor Ahmed Aliyu of Sokoto State’s alleged plan to remove the Sultan of Sokoto.

The group emphasised that Nigerian Muslims strongly oppose any attempt to depose the Sultan.