The Sokoto Sultanate Council, has disassociated itself from advertisements by some political groups and organisations in several national newspapers using the picture and statements of the Sultan of Sokoto,Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar,to promote the political ambition of specific candidates in yesterday’s election.

This was contained in a press statement advertorial, Friday, signed by the Secretary to the Sultanate Council, Alhaji Bello Usman Dange, where it said, “The Sokoto Sultanate Council would like to state categorically and unambiguously that these advertisements are published neither with the knowledge of the Sokoto Sultanate Council nor the consent of His Eminence, the Sultan.”

The statement reiterated that it has been the principled stance of the Sokoto Sultanate Council that it shall not and could not dabble in partisan politics, adding that the Sultan, as the foremost Islamic and traditional leader in Nigeria, was a father to all. “He has received in his palace, all the leading presidential candidates vying for the 2011 elections and he has counseled them fairly and equitably to put the fear of Allah in their hearts, to remain conscious of the responsibilities of leadership, to respect one another and to fulfill ,honestly and dutifully, their promises to the electorate.”

It would be recalled that one of such advertisements sponsored by One Nigeria Coalation, on Thursday, quoted the Sultan as saying, “Don’t vote along ethnic, religious lines.”

“No politician can win elections with Muslim or Christian, Northern or Southern votes. Therefore voting on ethnic or sentimental divides cannot help us as a nation. We must vote for the person whom we believe can move the country forward, not based on his religious or ethnic background,” the quote continued.

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Thumbs up to the Sultan, Nigeria should get rid of religious and ethnic affiliations in it politics. We are moving forward.