The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has urged Nigerians who are unhappy with the performance of their political leaders to use their votes to effect change in the 2027 elections rather than resort to insults, especially on social media.
The Sultan said citizens have a constitutional right to remove elected leaders through the ballot if they are not satisfied with their performance.
Sultan spoke in Abuja 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.
The monarch, who is also President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), advised Nigerians to support leaders while they remain in office, pray for them and offer constructive advice when they believe such leaders are taking the wrong path.
“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,” he said.
The Sultan also warned politicians and their supporters against inflammatory statements, stressing that political disagreements should not be allowed to lead to violence.
According to him, war does not help anyone, while peace remains important to the country’s development.
He said Nigerians have a responsibility to take part in deciding who leads them, noting that political leaders cannot force themselves on the people.
The Sultan further called for responsible political discussions and urged Nigerians to avoid spreading false or negative information, particularly on social media.
He recalled that he had previously described social media as a terrorist organisation because of the harm that could be caused by false stories circulated through the platforms.
He, however, clarified that his concern was not about legitimate social media engagement but about people who deliberately create and spread false stories that they cannot defend.
The Sultan said he was not afraid to speak 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 more engagement among organizations working for peace ahead of the 2027 elections.
Earlier, Ariwoola said the council, which was 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 elections and sought the Sultan’s support in appealing to political parties and candidates to ensure that their campaigns were free from rancour, hate speech, inflammatory statements and violence.
Ariwoola also urged political parties to follow their constitutions and codes of conduct, while calling 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 present solutions to the country’s challenges.
The former CJN added that the council would continue to engage stakeholders across the country as part of efforts to promote peaceful and credible elections.
