Following DUBAWA’s fact-check on claims that the Sultan of Sokoto endorsed President Bola Tinubu’s second-term bid, the Media Team of the Sultan of Sokoto issued an official statement debunking the viral claim and reaffirming the Sultan’s non-partisan role.
In its verification, DUBAWA established that a viral social media post had taken the Sultan’s remarks at the 2026 National Conference of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) out of context.
The investigation found that the Sultan was commending Tinubu for establishing the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development and supporting ongoing livestock reforms, not endorsing Tinubu’s re-election or urging Nigerians to vote for him in 2027.
Hours after the publication of DUBAWA’s report, the Sultan’s Media Team released a press statement dated Aug. 4, 2026, dismissing reports that the Sultan had backed President Tinubu’s second-term ambition.
The statement, signed by Prince Bashir Adefaka on behalf of the Sultan’s Media Team, stressed that “the Sultan, as the father of all, has no favourite 2027 candidate.”
According to the statement, “it is not possible for the Sultan, as the father of all, to make such a statement, either publicly or in any other forum.”
The Media team further emphasised that the Sultan’s traditional and religious offices require him to remain non-partisan, offering guidance, blessings and counsel to all Nigerians regardless of political affiliation.