Sultan’s appointment powers unconstitutional, Sokoto Govt declares

The Sokoto State Commissioner for Justice, Barrister Nasiru Binji, has declared that according to Nigeria’s constitution, the Sultan does not possess the authority to appoint individuals to official positions.

In a public hearing on Tuesday, Binji addressed the critical constitutional issue concerning the appointment of local officials by the Sultan of Sokoto.

The controversy centers on Section 76(2) of the Sokoto Local Government and Chieftaincy Law 2008, which grants the Sultanate Council the power to appoint district and village heads in the state, contingent upon approval from the sitting Governor.

The Commissioner argued that this provision directly conflicts with Section 5(2) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, which vests executive powers of appointment solely in the Governor, his deputies, commissioners, or other designated government agents.

“Constitutionally, the executive power to appoint within the state rests exclusively with the Governor.

“Any deviation from this constitutional mandate, such as empowering the Sultanate Council with appointment authority, is legally untenable,” Binji asserted during the hearing.

He emphasized the urgent need to amend the Chieftaincy Law to bring it into conformity with constitutional provisions, ensuring that all appointments adhere strictly to the executive authority vested in the Governor’s office.