Sultan of Sokoto denies endorsing Tinubu for 2027 election

The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Saad Abubakar, has firmly denied reports that he endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s potential reelection bid in 2027, asserting his neutrality and rejecting any attempt to draw him into partisan politics. The denial was issued in a statement by his media aide, Prince Bashir Adefaka, on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, in response to social media claims that the monarch had called on Nigerians to support Tinubu’s return to office.

The statement characterized the circulating reports as malicious fabrications and an unpatriotic attempt to exploit the Sultan’s influence for selfish interests. It explicitly rejected the notion that the Sultan, who serves as both a paramount traditional ruler and the President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, could endorse any political candidate. "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.

Emphasizing the requirements of his office, the Sultan’s media team stated that his role as a national father figure necessitates impartiality and accessibility to all...