Sultan: Islam seeks good governance, not political power

Sultan Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, has rejected the claim that Islam is driven by a search to capture political power in Nigeria, instead emphasizing that faith promotes good governance principles.

The Sultan made a clarification on Friday in Abuja during the Public Presentation of Scars: Nigeria’s Journey and Boko Haram Cutundrum, a book written by former defense chief of defense, General Lucky Irabor.

Responding to references to “Islamism” made by Bishop Matthew Kukah at the event, the Sultan said the term was often misunderstood and misunderstood in public discourse.

“Islamism is not about seizing power in any form. Islam is concerned by ensuring good governance in society,” he said. “When President Goodluck Jonathan was in the office, we gave him full support throughout his term of office, and no one spoke badly to him. He himself could prove that.”

Monarch notes that his past comments on Islam and government are sometimes misinterpreted as a political statement, given how in 2011 he was accused of opposing the offer of the two former President Muhammadu Buhari after giving a lecture on the responsibilities of Muslim leaders.

“In September 2019, I talked about Islam and a good government when President Buhari was preparing for his second term. The next day, the headline suggested I targeted it, when in fact I only describe what was expected by the leaders,” the sultan explained.

He stressed that the true focus of Islam is accountability, justice, and welfare of citizens, rather than pursuing political dominance.