The Chairman, Northern Traditional Council and Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar lll, on Wednesday warned politicians in the country to stop sponsoring campaign of calumny against their opponents ahead of March 28 elections.

The Sultan said as humans beings they should respect each other and not see election as a do-or-die affair.

While speaking during an emergency meeting of the traditional rulers’ council in the region in Kaduna, he said as leaders of the people they should always tell the politicians the bitter truth.

He explained that campaign of calumny which has become the order of the day among politicians would not augur well to the country and to the politicians themselves.

The sultan also charged the traditional rulers and politicians to always put the interest of the nation above their personal interests.

“We must always work for peace and stability of the country. We must also stop campaign of calumny against each other because it will not augur well for all of us and the unity of Nigeria. As traditional leaders we must always tell our politicians the truth.

“We will not keep quiet about what is happening in the country. We must speak for the peace of north, we must speak for peace of Nigeria and we must speak for the unity of Nigeria.

“We are against what is happening in the North, especially in North-East. So, we will not keep quiet because there are lots of wrongs happening in the polity. People always talk about election but I never heard them talking about what happened before, after and during election,” he said.

He said people should be allowed to choose the political party of their choice, saying politics is all about interests.

The sultan also reminded the traditional leaders of their role to douse tension during the elections as he called on them to advise parents to call their children to order.

“As traditional leaders we must ensure a free, fair and violence election. We don’t care about the outcome all we are interested in is free, fair and violence free elections,” he said.

Sultan also reminded all northern traditional rulers to always see themselves as one, irrespective of their tribes and religion.

In his remarks, the state governor Muktar Ramalan Yero, represented by his Deputy Ambassador Nuhu Bajoga, urged the emirs to work with relevant stakeholders to facilitate free and fair elections.

“You must strive to promote the values of equity and justice in other to have peace and good governance in our Country. We must never give up until we restore our region and the country to the statues of the glorious past.

“Your overwhelming commitments towards ensuring success of such meeting demonstrates your resolve towards uniting and building the society so as to enable every stakeholder contribute his or her quota to the upliftment of our common goals and aspirations,” he said.

•Photo shows Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar III.

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