The Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has revealed that political actors had begun reaching out to members of the council ahead of the 2027 general elections, saying they would be told what the organisation stands for.
The Sultan made the disclosure at the NSCIA General Assembly on Thursday in Abuja, barely 24 hours after the council brought Muslim leaders together for a special national prayer during which politicians and other Nigerians were urged to put the interest of the country above personal considerations..
The General Assembly brought together representatives of Islamic organisations, State Councils for Islamic Affairs, Muslim public office holders and other prominent members of the Muslim community for consultation on issues affecting the NSCIA, the Muslim Ummah and the nation.
The Sultan noted that some members of the council had already been approached by political actors, while letters had also been received by the organisation as political activities ahead of the 2027 elections begin to gather momentum.
The Sultan however maintained that the response from the council would be guided by its identity and principles while engaging with them.
He said: “Some of our members are speaking to some of the election people who are sitting by the side. We tell them who we are, what we stand for and we shall try to do the best that we can do.”
The Sultan urged members of the council to remain united and contribute to the issues before the General Assembly, stressing the need for the Muslim community to speak with one direction on matters of common concern, as he also announced the intention to make the General Assembly an annual event.
The development came a day after the NSCIA’s special national prayer for Nigeria, where Muslim leaders called for divine guidance for political leaders and those who would participate in the country’s political process.
At the prayer, the Secretary-General of the NSCIA, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, said those participating in political activities should have the fear of Allah and the commitment to Nigeria in mind.
The prayer, which was held at the Abuja National Mosque, was convened by the NSCIA to seek peace, security, unity, good governance and sustainable development for the country, with the General Assembly scheduled for the following day as the council’s highest decision-making organ.
The council said it considered leadership recruitment and good governance part of its responsibility and outlined expectations on security, the economy, infrastructure, human capital development and governance.
