VIDEO: Moment Tinubu ‘Threatened’ Sultan Of Sokoto For Endorsement
The All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, attempted to extort endorsement from the Sultan of Sokoto during a visit to Sokoto State for his campaign rally on Thursday.
Tinubu, in company with President Muhammadu Buhari, visited Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar who doubles as the spiritual leader of Nigerian Muslims at his palace.
Advertisement
Speaking at Sultan’s palace, Tinubu told the monarch that his visit was to seek his blessings and endorsement and that he “cannot reject” the request.
In what many may see as an attempt to manipulate the Sultan, the APC presidential candidate said the monarch must not reject his request for endorsement because the “Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces” was present at the palace.
“We want to win (the presidential) election and since that is what we’ve come for, we seek your blessing and endorsement and (it is) something you cannot reject. Our request, because the president and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces is on seat…how can he be here and you will reject?” Tinubu queried in a video circulating on social media.
Advertisement
The APC candidate made the request even though the Sultan of Sokoto had clearly stated earlier that his position as Sultan and spiritual leader of Muslims forbids him from being partisan.
THE WHISTLER reported that during a similar visit made to him by the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, the Sultan blessed the LP candidate but noted that “we are apolitical” and “don’t have any political party that we are leaning to.”
He had said, “We always say power belongs to the Almighty Allah, he gives it to whom he wants and will take from you at the time he wants without even warning. So we don’t play God.
“We believe that the Almighty Allah already knows who will become Nigeria’s next president come May 29, 2023.”
