Thursday, the Coalition of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Katsina State criticised Dr Abdulmumini Kabir Usman, the Emir of Katsina, for publicly endorsing Dr Dikko Umar Radda as the party's nominee for governor of the state in the 2023 election.
In an exclusive interview, the state chairman of the coalition, Abdulrahman Abdullahi, claimed that the monarch's support for Radda violated the emirate's neutrality and jeopardised it.
Usman earned Radda's support when he visited his palace recently, according to a statement by the director of media and publicity for the state's APC governorship campaign committee, Ahmed Abdulkadir, titled: "Katsina Emir Endorses APC Gubernatorial Candidate."
But Abdullahi clarified that rather than sponsoring candidates for public office, the emir should preserve political neutrality and work tirelessly for the betterment of society.
The chairman of the CSOs stated that it is not just an aberration but also a violation of the country's traditional institutions when traditional rulers participate in partisan politics in any capacity.
He said: “For us as civil society organisations in Katsina State, even though we recognised that the emir is entitled to his opinion, such a stand is wrong and unexpected from him.
“He (Usman) should consider the position he occupies. As a father to all, he shouldn’t side with any of the candidates because all the candidates are his sons. It is just like a father taking preference for one of his children over the rest and this is not good for the traditional system.
“If a leader of a traditional institution, an emir for that matter, can side with a candidate, that means the institution is at risk. Also, the fatherly and the neutrality of that institution has been jeopardised.
“The implication is that people will begin to think that the emir or the emirate belong to a given political party because the general illusion is that if you support a particular candidate, it is equally that you support his political party.”
He, therefore, urged traditional rulers in the state to refrain from partisan politics and champion the peaceful co-existence in their domains, as well as treat all contestants in the forthcoming election equally “as royal fathers, they should pray for successful election not endorsement of candidates”.
However, the state vice-chairman of the APC, Bala Abu Musawa, described the endorsement of the APC governorship candidate by the traditional leader as a harbinger of better times to come.
While noting that the emir only chooses what is best for the citizens of the state, Musawa added that his decision did not contravene the nation’s constitution and the Electoral Act.