The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has firmly rejected reports claiming he endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term in the 2027 presidential election, describing the claims as false, misleading and malicious.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by his media aide, Bashir Adefaka, the monarch’s media team clarified that the Sultan has no preferred candidate in the upcoming race and remains strictly neutral due to his position as a traditional and religious leader.
“The attention of the Media Team of the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has been drawn to a report circulating on some social media platforms, creating the impression that the Sultan has called on Nigerians to support the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election,” the statement said.
“Our simple response to the report is that it is not possible for the Sultan, as the father of all, to make such a statement, either publicly or in any other forum.”
The statement emphasised that the Sultan’s role requires impartiality and accessibility to all Nigerians, regardless of political affiliation. He has no favourite among potential contenders and will neither publicly nor privately endorse any aspirant.
It further described attempts to link the monarch to Tinubu’s re-election campaign as an effort by individuals pursuing selfish interests to drag the traditional ruler into partisan politics. Such claims, it added, do not reflect the Sultan’s long-standing commitment to fairness, inclusiveness and national unity.
The Sultan also reiterated that he will continue to receive and interact with all Nigerians, including political leaders and public office holders, without those engagements being interpreted as political endorsements.
“The Sultan’s doors cannot be shut against anyone who comes to him, regardless of political affiliation or persuasion. His Eminence has consistently demonstrated that he is the father of all and will continue to relate with all Nigerians without discrimination,” the statement concluded.
