Sultan of Sokoto Denies Endorsing Tinubu’s 2027 Re-Election Bid

The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has dismissed reports claiming he endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term ahead of the 2027 presidential election, describing the claim as false and misleading.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by his media team and signed by Bashir Adefaka, the Sultan said the report circulating on social media was a deliberate attempt to drag the revered traditional ruler into partisan politics.

The statement stressed that it was impossible for the Sultan, as a father figure to all Nigerians, to publicly endorse any political party or candidate.

“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.

“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 read.

The media team urged Nigerians to disregard any publication seeking to misrepresent the Sultan’s position or associate him with the campaign of any candidate ahead of the 2027 general elections.

It maintained that the Sultan’s role as both a traditional and religious leader requires him to remain neutral while offering guidance, prayers and counsel to all Nigerians, irrespective of their political affiliations.

According to the statement, the Sultan’s palace remains open to everyone without discrimination.

“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 also reaffirmed the Sultan’s commitment to promoting peace, national unity and harmonious coexistence across the country.

It further cautioned media organisations and social media users against spreading false reports capable of misleading the public and dragging respected religious institutions into partisan political controversies.