Posted by By Emeka Mamah on
FORMER Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Ibrahim Dasuki, and former Minister of Finance, Alhaji Abubakar Alhaji, are among top contenders for the Sultanate following the death of the 19th Sultan of Sokoto in the ADC plane crash at Tugan Madaki, near the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on Sunday, Vanguard authoritatively learnt yesterday in Sokoto.
SOKOTO - FORMER Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Ibrahim Dasuki, and former Minister of Finance, Alhaji Abubakar Alhaji, are among top contenders for the Sultanate following the death of the 19th Sultan of Sokoto in the ADC plane crash at Tugan Madaki, near the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on Sunday, Vanguard authoritatively learnt yesterday in Sokoto.
President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday paid tribute to the late Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Maccido Abubakar III, saying he lived, worked and died for the peaceful coexistence of te Nigerian nation.
Other names being touted as likely successor are former Nigeria Ambassador to South Africa, Alhaji Shehu Malami; former Aide de Camp to General Ibrahim Babangida and son of the former Sultan, Col. Sambo Dasuki and the second in command to the late Sultan Maccido, Alhaji Aliyu, Magajin Gari Sokoto.
Others are former Minister of Power and Steel, Alhaji Bello Suleiman; Alhaji Ahmed Suleman; Permanent Secretary, Sokoto State Ministry of Finance, Alhaji Aliyu Abdulrahman, and Alhaji Muazu Lamido, elder brother of the late Maccido from the same mother.
The kingmakers are expected to meet and appoint a new Sultan by Friday. The kingmakers are Sarkin Yakin Binji, Sarkin Adar, Sa'in Kilgori, Ardun Shuni, Sarkin Rafi, Wazirin Sokoto whose son, Sanusi Usman also died, Magajin Gari Sokoto, Ajiyan Tsaki.
Obasanjo pays tribute to late Sultan
The president who spoke while on a condolence visit to Sokoto regretted the death of the late Sultan at a time when the nation was in need of his services.
President Obasanjo led a high powered government delegation including the Senate President, Chief Ken Nnamani; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Bello Masari; Deputy Speaker, Chief Austin Opara; Governor Peter Odili of Rivers State; Ministers of Education, Mrs Oby Ezekwesili; Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, and Water Resources Minister, Alhaji Muktari Shagari among others.
Obasanjo praised the late Sultan for engendering unity, understanding and co-operation between the two major religions in the country and observed that he had visited Sokoto State on a number of occasions in the past, but none was as sad and sorrowful as yesterday's that was without the presence of the late Maccido.
'He lived for peace, he worked for peace, he in fact died for peace. We are mourning the loss of so many other lives, families that are touched by that cruel ill-fated accident of ADC airline.
'There would be no family in this state that would not have been affected.
There will be no family in the country, by association, by knowledge, by all sorts of interactions that will not have been affected. We are here to mourn because we have lost people who, by every standard, are people that we were looking up to in this country to continue to fight for the greatness of this country, to continue to work for the greatness of this country, to continue to work for peace, unity and harmony of this country.
'He worked and laboured for unity, understanding and co-operation of the two major religions in this country. NERC, an organisation of voluntary leaders of the two religions coming together so that there can be understanding, accommodation, tolerance and harmony between the adherents of the two religions.
'We called on the late Sultan to help us in the immunisation of our children and he played a pivotal role that really resounded throughout the country and throughout the continent and in deed throughout the world. We called on him when we were looking to how to deal with the scourge of HIV and AIDS and the late Sultan was more than up to the task."
The Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, who received the president also hailed the late Sultan who he said was a just leader who was guided by the fear of God. He described the death of Maccido as not only a loss to the Muslim community but the country and entire continent.
'The Muslim Ummah and indeed the whole nation have lost a just leader who was guided by the grace of God. The late Sultan Mohammadu Maccido was a man of peace all his live."
At press time, many dignitaries had paid condolence visit to the late Sultan. They include the first Executive President of Nigeria Alhaji Shehu Shagari; former Military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, Governors Abdulkadir Kure of Niger State, Ibrahim Shekarau of Kano and Ahmed Yerima of Zamfara State.
Others are former governor of Kano State, Alhaji Kabir Gaya; Emirs of Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Idris, Katsina, Dr. Kabir Usman and Anka, Attahiru Ahmad II.