Would you like to receive notifications on latest updates of the following headlines?

Sokoto Sultanate Backs Assembly’s Emirate Council Law Amendment

POSTED ON July 3, 2024 •   Politics      BY Benedicta Bassey
Sultan of Sokoto/ Photo credit: Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar

The Sokoto Sultanate Council has expressed its support for the move by the state House of Assembly to pass a new Emirate Council bill into law.

The Sultanate at a public hearing affirmed that it is a welcome development.

Dr Muhammad Kilgori, representing the Sultanate at the public hearing, said, “We at the Sultanate Council are ready to work and support the state government as well as operate with the law made by the state.

“Even before now, the council always consulted with the state government before making any appointment whatsoever.”

Recall that the Muslim Rights Council had last week warned the Sokoto State government against any attempt to dethrone the Sultan.

The warning was also echoed by Vice President Kashim Shettima, who said, “The Sultan is the Sultan of Sokoto, but he is much more than that; he represents an idea, he is an institution that all of us in this country need to jealousy guard, protect, promote, preserve and project for the growth of our nation.”

The Sokoto State government, however, said it had no plan to dethrone Sultan, warning against the spread of false news.

At the public hearing of the bill on Tuesday, the state Commissioner of Justice, Nasir Muhammad Binji, explained that the former law, which was presented to the Assembly for amendment was inconsistent with Nigeria’s constitution.

Binji explained that in the amended law, the Sultanate Council will retain the power to recommend the village and district heads for appointment, subject to the governor’s approval.

Binji insisted that the proposed amended law was not political motivated or a means to strip the Sultanate Council of its power.

Other sections of the law to be amended, according to Binji, are sections to extend the tenure of elected local government chairmen from two years to three years.

He added that Section 76(h) of the law repealed a portion of the old law that said the governor has ‘absolute’ power to appoint the caretaker committee chairmen for local governments.

This, he said, was inconsistent with Section 5(2) of the 1999 Constitution.

He said, “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, 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."

READ ALSO
Tinubu Orders Urgent Repairs on Flood-Damaged Bridge in Mokwa
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 4, 2025 0

NIGER, Nigeria (NAN)- President Bola Tinubu has instructed the Federal Ministry of Works to repair t...

READ ALSO
Road Maintenance Crisis: FERMA Requires N880 Billion Yearly Amid Budget Shortfalls
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 3, 2025 0

ABUJA, Nigeria - The Federal Government needs approximately N880 billion each year for the upkeep of...

READ ALSO
PDP Leaders Slam Minister for Backing Tinubu's 2027 Campaign
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 3, 2025 0

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Coalition of United Pol...

READ ALSO
Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan Set to Appear in Court as F G Files Defamation Charges
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 2, 2025 0

The suspended senator for Kogi Central Senatorial District, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, is scheduled to...

READ ALSO
Sanusi, El-Rufai, and Yusuf Discuss Nigeria's Poverty and Governance
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 1, 2025 0

ABUJA, Nigeria - Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, the Emir of Kano and ex-Governor of the Central Bank of Niger...

READ ALSO
Cabinet Reshuffle Looms: President Tinubu Set to Announce Changes Post-Eid
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 1, 2025 0

If everything goes smoothly, President Bola Tinubu is expected to announce his cabinet members who w...

READ ALSO
Tinubu Commits to Collaborative Efforts with AfDB's New Leadership, Congratulate Sidi Tah
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara May 30, 2025 0

President Bola Tinubu has praised the election of Sidi Tah as the ninth president of the African Dev...

READ ALSO
Oshiomhole, Sowore Clashes Over Nigeria's democracy
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara May 29, 2025 0

The 2023 Presidential Candidate for the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, and the Senator for...

OUR CHANNELS:

NEMA Mobilizes Teams to 15 States Amid Flood Warnings
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 5, 2025 0

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has sent officials to 15 high-risk states to educate...


Edo Faces Diphtheria Outbreak, Two Confirmed Deaths
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 5, 2025 0

EDO, Nigeria (NAN) - A diphtheria outbreak has been confirmed in Edo State, resulting in two deaths....


Tinubu Honors Bill Gates with National Award for Global Philanthropy
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 5, 2025 0

LAGOS, Nigeria - President Bola Tinubu commended Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft and chairma...


Bahrain, Colombia, DRC, Latvia, and Liberia Join UN Security Council for 2026-2027 Term
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 5, 2025 0

The UN General Assembly on Tuesday elected five new non-permanent members to the UN Security Council...


Tinubu Orders Urgent Repairs on Flood-Damaged Bridge in Mokwa
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 5, 2025 0

NIGER, Nigeria (NAN)- President Bola Tinubu has instructed the Federal Ministry of Works to repair t...


Nigeria Needs ₦2.2 Trillion to Eliminate Cervical Cancer by 2030, Says Task Force Chair
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 5, 2025 0

ABUJA, Nigeria — Nigeria will need ₦2.2 trillion to roll out comprehensive cervical cancer ini...


EFCC Charges Two Men for Posing as Fake Sureties in Illegal Mining Case
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 4, 2025 0

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has charged two individuals, Shehu Abdu and Isah...


Court Sentence Scrap Seller to 12 Years for Sexual Assault of Four-Year-Old Girl
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 4, 2025 0

A scrap seller, Nasiru Usman, was sentenced to 12 years in prison by an Ikeja Sexual Offences and Do...


70-Year-Old Faces Manslaughter Charges After Fatal Accident
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 5, 2025 0

LAGOS, Nigeria - A 70-year-old man, Isiaka Afolayan, has been detained for careless driving and the...


Police Arrest 49 years old Suspect for Abduction of Two-Month-Old Baby
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 5, 2025 0

DELTA, Nigeria - The police in Delta reported the arrest of a suspect named Joy Temitope for the abd...


More Articles

Load more...

Menu