Obi, Kwankwaso visit Sultan of Sokoto, call for unity and action on poverty

Politics

ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — The presidential and vice-presidential candidates of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi and Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, have paid a courtesy visit to the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, as part of their engagements with traditional and community leaders ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, was accompanied by Kwankwaso and other members of the NDC delegation during the visit to the Sultan’s palace in Sokoto on Monday.

In a statement titled “In the Caliphate with a Message of Hope for the Poor and Unity in Nigeria,” Obi said the delegation used the visit to condole with the Sultan over the recent death of the Sardauna of Sokoto.

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He said he also used the opportunity to emphasise the need to unite and secure Nigeria, tackle poverty, create employment and rebuild confidence in the country.

According to Obi, the Sultan warmly received the delegation and recalled knowing him for almost 46 years, dating back to 1980 when Obi was a first-year student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

Obi said the Sultan reminded them that leadership came from Almighty Allah and carried a responsibility for which leaders would ultimately be held accountable.

He said the Sultan identified security, poverty and employment as three critical priorities for Nigeria.

Obi also quoted the Sultan as stressing that Nigeria’s diversity of tribes, languages and faiths should be a source of strength rather than division.

The former Anambra governor said the NDC sought to build a Nigeria where citizens could live safely, prosper and have a sense of belonging.

The Sultan, according to reports from his media team, also urged politicians and their supporters to conduct their activities peacefully and responsibly, avoid insults and inflammatory statements, and respect Nigerians with different political views.

The monarch said political positions were temporary, while Nigeria’s peace, unity and stability remained essential to the country’s development. He urged political leaders to lead by example and ensure that campaigns did not degenerate into personal attacks or actions capable of creating divisions.

Obi expressed appreciation to the Sultan for receiving the delegation and granting them an audience, describing the visit as part of the NDC’s broader consultations with traditional and community leaders.

The delegation subsequently proceeded to a town-hall engagement in Sokoto as part of the party’s outreach to residents and stakeholders.

Obi concluded his message by praying for continued blessings for the Sultan, the people of Sokoto State and Nigeria.