The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, is advising Nigerians to use their votes to effect change in the 2027 general elections if they are not satisfied with the performance of their political leaders instead of resorting to insults especially on the social media.
According to him, citizens who are not satisfied with the performance of elected leaders should exercise their constitutional right to vote them out rather than resort to insults or actions capable of undermining peace.
The Sultan who is the President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), spoke when he received the 11-member Council of the Wise of the Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy and Development led by former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, in Abuja.
He called on Nigerians to support leaders while they remain in office, pray for them and offer constructive advice whenever they believe they are taking the wrong path.
Sultan Abubakar said, “Insults don’t make things change but go and vote him out because you have that right to vote. The President is doing the right thing, pray for him, and if he is doing wrong, draw him back. The President must listen as a leader.”
The Sultan cautioned politicians and their supporters against inflammatory rhetoric, stressing that political disagreements should not degenerate into violence.
The monarch said war doesn’t help anybody, adding that peace should remain central to political activities because “if there is no peace, there can’t be” development.
He said Nigerians had a responsibility to participate actively in determining who leads them, stressing that political leaders could not force themselves on citizens.
The Sultan called for responsible political discourse, urging Nigerians to avoid spreading negative or false information, particularly on social media.
He said he had previously described social media as a terrorist organisation because of the potential harm caused by false stories circulated through the platforms.
He, however, clarified that his concern was not with legitimate social media engagement but with people who deliberately formulate and circulate false stories that they cannot defend.
The Sultan said he had no fear of speaking the truth and urged others to do the same without fear or favour.
He also welcomed the activities of the Council of the Wise and encouraged greater engagement among peace-building organisations ahead of the 2027 elections.
Earlier, Ariwoola said the council, reconstituted by the Savannah Centre in June 2026, was established to contribute to peaceful, free, fair and credible elections.
He said the 11-member council had been engaging stakeholders ahead of the 2027 elections and sought the Sultan’s support in appealing to political parties and candidates to ensure their campaigns were free of rancour, hate speech, inflammatory statements and violence.
Ariwoola also urged political parties to abide by their constitutions and codes of conduct and called on candidates and their supporters to comply with electoral laws and guidelines issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
He said presidential candidates, in particular, should focus their campaigns on issues affecting Nigerians and offer solutions to the country’s challenges.
The former CJN said the council would continue to engage stakeholders across the country in its efforts to promote peaceful and credible elections.
Friday Olokor
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