By Simpson Global Media News Desk
The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has called on politicians and their supporters to conduct their activities peacefully, respect opposing political views and avoid rhetoric capable of heightening tension as preparations for Nigeria’s 2027 general elections intensify.
The Sultan made the call on Monday, September 28, 2026, when the presidential and vice-presidential candidates of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, visited his palace in Sokoto as part of their political consultations with traditional and community leaders.
The delegation also included the NDC governorship candidate in Sokoto State, Dr Shamsu Haido, and other party members.
The visit came at a time when political parties and prospective candidates are expanding consultations, grassroots engagements and mobilisation activities ahead of the next general elections.
According to a statement issued by Prince Bashir Adefaka on behalf of the Sultan’s media team, the delegation used the meeting to discuss national issues, forthcoming political activities and their aspirations to lead the country. The politicians also sought the Sultan’s royal blessings.
The Sultan, however, used the occasion to make a broader appeal that extended beyond the visiting party.
He said politicians had the constitutional and democratic right to present their manifestos, programmes and ideas to voters and seek support for their political platforms.
That right, he said, should be exercised with decorum, within the law and with respect for candidates, parties and Nigerians who hold different political opinions.
He specifically cautioned politicians and their supporters against abusive language, insults and inflammatory statements, warning that such conduct could increase tensions and potentially contribute to violence within communities.
The Sultan also urged political actors to place Nigeria’s peace, unity and stability above their individual political differences.
His message was not framed as an endorsement of the NDC ticket. Rather, the Sultan’s media team presented the meeting as part of what the monarch described as his continuing role as a father figure to Nigerians aspiring to political office, without favouritism.
A palace meeting with a wider political context
The Sokoto meeting has significance beyond the appearance of two presidential contenders at the Sultan’s palace because it occurred within a broader pattern of political consultations with traditional institutions ahead of the 2027 elections.
Two weeks earlier, on September 14, the Sultan received a delegation from the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council.
That delegation was led by Senator Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar, Director-General of the APC 2027 Presidential Campaign Council, and included the governors of Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states as well as other political figures.
Reports of that meeting said the APC delegation visited the Sultan to seek his guidance, prayers and blessings as the party prepared its mobilisation activities for the 2027 presidential election.
The September 14 meeting therefore provides important context for the September 28 visit by Obi and Kwankwaso.
The Sultan’s reception of delegations associated with different political platforms is relevant to understanding the latest meeting as part of engagement with political actors rather than as evidence, by itself, of support for one particular ticket.
During the earlier APC visit, the Sultan also urged politicians to conduct peaceful, issue-based campaigns and cautioned against exploiting insecurity and other national difficulties for political gain.
He urged Nigerians to scrutinise the promises made by political parties and candidates and make their choices according to what they considered to be in their own interests and those of the country.
That earlier message and his latest appeal to Obi and Kwankwaso share a common emphasis on peaceful political activity, public scrutiny of campaign promises and national cohesion.
Why the message matters as campaigning expands
Nigeria’s political environment is gradually moving from preliminary positioning into a more visible phase of election preparation.
The Independent National Electoral Commission has already commenced the formal electoral cycle for the 2027 general elections, while political parties are engaging voters, traditional rulers, community leaders and other stakeholders.
INEC has previously stated that political campaigns and party activities are governed by statutory requirements and that political actors should conduct themselves peacefully throughout the electoral process. The Commission has also published a timetable and schedule of activities for the election cycle.
With political parties seeking support across the country, the role of public rhetoric becomes particularly important.
Campaigns are designed to persuade voters. Candidates are expected to distinguish their programmes from those of their opponents, defend their records where applicable and explain how they intend to govern.
At the same time, Nigeria’s political history includes episodes in which inflammatory rhetoric has contributed to heightened tensions.
The Sultan’s latest warning therefore places emphasis on the manner in which political competition is conducted rather than on the particular political programmes of the candidates who visited him.
His message also recognises a basic feature of electoral democracy: candidates have a right to campaign, while citizens have the right to hear competing political ideas and make their own decisions.
The challenge is ensuring that political competition does not become a source of hostility between communities or supporters.
Obi and Kwankwaso’s Sokoto engagement
The Sultan’s meeting formed part of a wider programme of political engagement by Obi and Kwankwaso in Sokoto.
At a separate town-hall meeting with NDC delegates, party leaders and supporters, Obi discussed education, security and national unity as priorities of his proposed administration if elected.
He also spoke about job creation, poverty reduction, vocational and skills development, healthcare and youth and women empowerment.
Obi said his proposed political approach would involve listening to citizens before formulating policies, describing the campaign as demand-driven rather than supply-driven.
He also proposed connecting state capitals by rail to facilitate movement and economic activity.
Kwankwaso, who is the NDC vice-presidential candidate, focused during the engagement on insecurity in rural communities, particularly kidnapping, killings and displacement in parts of the North-West.
He said the delegation was seeking to engage residents and understand the challenges confronting communities.
The statements were campaign positions presented by the NDC candidates and should be distinguished from established government policy or independently verified assessments of their feasibility.
The Sultan did not publicly adopt those policy proposals during his meeting with the delegation.
Instead, his intervention focused on the broader conduct of political activity.
The fuel-subsidy debate
Economic policy was also part of the NDC delegation’s Sokoto messaging.
In a separate appearance on Monday, Obi said that, if elected, an NDC administration would introduce a form of petroleum subsidy after addressing what he described as corruption surrounding the previous subsidy system.
He argued that corruption had prevented Nigerians from receiving the full benefit of government intervention.
Obi said his proposed administration would establish a framework for monitoring crude-oil production, transactions, imports, exports and government revenues.
The proposal represents a significant policy position in the emerging 2027 debate over the cost of petroleum products and the consequences of the Federal Government’s removal of the longstanding petrol subsidy.
It is also an example of why the Sultan’s call for issue-based politics is relevant to the campaign period.
Questions surrounding fuel pricing, taxation, public spending, security, education, infrastructure and employment are likely to form part of competing campaign platforms.
For voters, the distinction between a candidate’s promise, a party policy document, an implemented government programme and an independently verified outcome will remain important as campaigning progresses.
Traditional institutions and election consultations
Visits to traditional rulers have long formed part of political engagement in Nigeria.
Traditional institutions do not replace elected government or the electoral commission, and traditional rulers do not determine election results.
However, political parties frequently consult traditional and community leaders because of their longstanding relationships with local communities and their roles in conflict resolution, cultural affairs and public engagement.
The Sultan of Sokoto occupies a particularly prominent position in Nigeria’s traditional and religious landscape.
His office is also associated with the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, and his public interventions frequently address issues of national unity, security, interfaith relations and peaceful coexistence.
This makes his statements during the election season relevant as public calls for restraint, although such statements should not be interpreted automatically as electoral endorsements.
The September meetings demonstrate this distinction.
The APC campaign council visited the Sultan on September 14, while the NDC presidential and vice-presidential candidates visited on September 28.
Reports from both meetings described the interactions as consultations and requests for guidance, prayers or blessings.
The fact that different political groups have sought audiences with the same traditional institution also illustrates the importance parties attach to broad stakeholder engagement as the election cycle develops.
A warning against inflammatory rhetoric
The strongest element of the Sultan’s latest message was his warning over language.
According to the statement from his media team, he cautioned political actors and their supporters against abusive language, insults and inflammatory statements.
He warned that such conduct could heighten tension and potentially result in violence within communities.
The warning comes as Nigerian political parties increasingly communicate through rallies, town-hall meetings, traditional media, online platforms and social media.
Digital platforms have made political communication faster and more direct.
They have also made campaign messages easier to circulate beyond their original audience.
A statement made at a local gathering can quickly be reproduced, clipped, interpreted and redistributed to supporters across the country.
This creates opportunities for political candidates to communicate directly with voters, but it can also magnify statements that are insulting, misleading or inflammatory.
For political parties, the management of supporters and campaign communication will therefore be part of the wider challenge of maintaining peaceful competition.
The Sultan’s appeal was directed not only at candidates but also at their supporters.
That distinction is important because election-related tensions do not always arise directly from official party speeches. Supporters, online commentators and informal political groups can also contribute to hostile exchanges.
Political competition and national unity
The Sultan also emphasised the temporary nature of political positions compared with the longer-term importance of national unity, peace and stability.
That message places elections within a broader constitutional framework.
An election is a mechanism for choosing political representatives. It is not, in itself, a reason for communities or citizens to become permanent opponents.
Candidates may disagree sharply over economic policy, security strategy, education, taxation, infrastructure or the management of public resources.
Political parties may also compete aggressively for votes.
But the electoral process requires participants to accept the rights of other citizens to hold different views.
The Sultan therefore urged political leaders to demonstrate through their own conduct the behaviour they expect from their supporters.
He also urged candidates to ensure that campaigns do not degenerate into personal attacks or actions capable of creating divisions among communities.
The road to the 2027 elections
The political environment will become more active as parties expand their consultations and mobilisation.
The official electoral framework provides a sequence of activities involving political parties, candidates, voters, election officials, security agencies and other stakeholders.
INEC has stressed that the success of the electoral process is a collective responsibility involving government institutions, security agencies, the media, civil society organisations and citizens.
That responsibility extends beyond election day.
Political parties must meet nomination and campaign requirements.
Candidates must comply with electoral laws.
Security agencies have responsibilities concerning the protection of voters and the maintenance of public order.
The media has a responsibility to report campaign claims accurately and provide appropriate context.
Citizens have a responsibility to evaluate competing claims and participate within the law.
Traditional and religious institutions, meanwhile, can contribute to messages encouraging peaceful participation and social cohesion.
The Sultan’s latest intervention fits within that wider ecosystem.
Campaign promises will face greater scrutiny
As the election cycle progresses, voters are likely to hear competing promises from several parties and candidates.
Some will focus on the economy.
Others will place greater emphasis on security, education, healthcare, infrastructure, agriculture, employment or institutional reform.
The policy differences will be important because elections ultimately provide citizens with an opportunity to choose representatives and governments.
The Sultan’s earlier September message to the APC campaign council specifically encouraged Nigerians to scrutinise campaign promises rather than simply accept political claims.
His latest meeting with Obi and Kwankwaso reinforces that broader principle without prescribing which candidate citizens should support.
The responsibility for assessing political programmes remains with voters.
For journalists, the task is to distinguish between promises and existing policies, between allegations and established facts, and between campaign rhetoric and measurable outcomes.
What the Sokoto visit does — and does not — establish
The September 28 meeting establishes that Obi and Kwankwaso visited the Sultan of Sokoto as part of their political consultations ahead of the 2027 elections.
It establishes that the Sultan received them and publicly urged peaceful political conduct.
It also establishes that the Sultan’s media team described his approach as one of engagement with Nigerians seeking elective office without favouritism.
It does not, on the evidence publicly available from the meeting, establish that the Sultan endorsed the NDC ticket.
That distinction is particularly important in an election season when political visits to traditional institutions can be interpreted by supporters and opponents as signs of political alignment.
The Sultan’s reception of the APC Presidential Campaign Council two weeks earlier provides additional context for his stated position.
The available reports therefore support describing the Sokoto meeting as a political consultation and a call for peaceful campaigning, rather than as an electoral endorsement.
The significance of the timing
The timing of the meeting is also notable.
The 2027 election cycle is already moving into a more visible phase, with parties establishing campaign structures, meeting stakeholders and presenting policy messages.
The APC has commenced consultations through its Presidential Campaign Council.
The NDC ticket of Obi and Kwankwaso is conducting its own consultations.
Other political platforms and candidates are also organising nationwide engagements.
These activities mean that the coming months are likely to feature more competing claims about the economy, security, governance and the direction of the country.
The Sultan’s message therefore comes at an early stage of what promises to be an extended period of political communication.
Whether political parties follow such appeals will depend on their candidates, campaign organisations and supporters.
Security remains a central political issue
Security is particularly significant in the North-West and other parts of Nigeria affected by kidnapping, banditry, displacement and communal violence.
Kwankwaso highlighted these concerns during the Sokoto engagement, while Obi also identified security as one of the areas his proposed administration would prioritise.
Security challenges can influence voter concerns, campaign priorities and public expectations.
They can also create risks during political rallies and other large gatherings.
The Sultan’s warning against inflammatory language is therefore linked to a wider concern about how political competition interacts with existing social and security tensions.
Political parties have the opportunity to debate different approaches to security while avoiding rhetoric that could deepen divisions.
The role of voters
The Sultan’s earlier appeal for voters to scrutinise campaign promises places citizens at the centre of the democratic process.
Candidates can present programmes, but voters ultimately decide which political messages they accept.
That process requires access to information.
It also requires voters to distinguish between campaign statements and established facts.
A promise to create jobs, build infrastructure, reform an institution or change a policy is not the same thing as evidence that the proposal can be implemented.
Similarly, an allegation against an opponent is not automatically an established fact.
For the media, civil society organisations and citizens, fact-checking and careful scrutiny will become increasingly important as the campaign period expands.
The Sultan’s emphasis on respectful political debate provides a framework within which those disagreements can take place.
Political actors face a shared responsibility
Nigeria’s electoral process involves competition, but competition does not remove the need for restraint.
Political parties want to win votes.
Candidates want to persuade citizens that their programmes should receive public support.
Supporters want their preferred candidates to succeed.
Those interests are normal features of electoral politics.
The challenge is ensuring that political competition remains within legal and peaceful boundaries.
The Sultan’s latest intervention was directed at that challenge.
He did not ask politicians to stop competing.
Instead, he acknowledged their right to present their programmes and seek support while urging them to do so within the law and with respect for people who hold different political views.
That distinction is important because democratic politics depends on disagreement.
The objective is not to eliminate political differences but to ensure that differences can be expressed without creating violence or hostility.
What happens next
Obi and Kwankwaso are expected to continue their political engagements as the NDC develops its campaign activities and reaches out to voters and stakeholders.
Other political parties are also expected to expand their consultations and public engagements.
The APC Presidential Campaign Council has already begun a nationwide consultation programme, while other political formations are pursuing their own strategies ahead of the election cycle.
As these activities continue, policy proposals are likely to receive greater public attention.
Economic management, fuel pricing, education, security, infrastructure, agriculture, healthcare and employment are among the issues already featuring in political messaging.
The manner in which these issues are debated will be as important to the quality of public discourse as the differences between the proposals themselves.
The Sultan’s appeal provides a reminder that political campaigns have consequences beyond individual candidates and parties.
A broader appeal for peaceful participation
The September 28 meeting in Sokoto ultimately produced two separate but connected developments.
First, Obi and Kwankwaso used the visit as part of their consultation and mobilisation activities ahead of the 2027 elections.
Second, the Sultan used the occasion to reiterate his appeal for peaceful political conduct across party lines.
His statement placed responsibility on politicians and supporters alike to avoid insults, inflammatory remarks and actions that could heighten tension.
He also emphasised respect for opposing political opinions and the importance of national unity.
The intervention followed his September 14 reception of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, reinforcing his publicly stated position that traditional engagement should extend to politicians across the political spectrum.
As Nigeria moves further into the 2027 election cycle, the political conversation will become increasingly competitive.
Candidates will seek to distinguish themselves.
Parties will defend their records and proposals.
Supporters will campaign for their preferred platforms.
Voters will hear competing claims about the country’s problems and possible solutions.
The central democratic question will ultimately be decided through the electoral process.
For now, the message from the Sultan’s palace in Sokoto is that the contest should be conducted without sacrificing peace, respect and national cohesion.
That message does not settle the political choices facing Nigerians. It instead underscores the conditions under which those choices are to be debated: candidates have the right to campaign, citizens have the right to hear competing ideas, and political differences need not become social divisions.
With the 2027 contest approaching, the coming months will test how political parties, candidates and their supporters translate that principle into actual campaign conduct.
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