Sultan meets Tinubu, urges peaceful campaigns ahead of 2027 elections
- The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar III, met President Bola Tinubu privately at the Presidential Villa on Thursday.
- After the meeting, the Sultan urged political parties and candidates to run peaceful campaigns and avoid actions that threaten national unity.
- The Presidency had not issued an official statement on what the two leaders discussed as of Thursday night.
The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa'ad Abubakar III, met President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday, and used the occasion to call for peaceful campaigns ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The meeting was private. According to Daily Trust, the President's media team had not released any official statement on why the Sultan came or what was discussed as of Thursday night.
Speaking to State House correspondents afterwards, the monarch urged political parties, candidates and other stakeholders to exercise restraint as political activities pick up across the country.
"We need peaceful campaigns by everybody, and we pray to Almighty Allah to grant us peace and stability in our country as we go in for elections," he said.
He also prayed that the process would produce leaders who would serve Nigerians and improve their living conditions. "May He Almighty give us the best we deserve in this country," he added, according to The Nation and Leadership.
Why it matters
The Sultan is one of the most respected traditional rulers in Nigeria, and his voice carries weight in the north and beyond. His appeal comes as parties and candidates begin consultations and rallies for the 2027 polls.
Election seasons in Nigeria have often brought tension over hate speech, thuggery and disputed results. A call for calm from a figure like the Sultan can help set the tone, though it is not binding on any party.
The sources did not say whether the Sultan raised any specific concerns with the President, or whether the President made any commitment on peaceful polls.
What happens next
Political parties are expected to keep holding consultations and campaign events in the coming months. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has not yet released a final timetable for the 2027 general elections in these reports.
Nigerians will be watching whether the parties heed the call for restraint, and whether the Presidency gives its own account of Thursday's meeting.
