The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, at a roundtable engagement, said the inauguration of the President-elect, Bola Tinubu on May 29 will take place despite opposition from some quarters.

The Sultan who is also the President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs said this at a roundtable engagement with traditional and religious rulers which was organized by the World Bank on Wednesday in Abuja.

The foremost Nigerian leader called on Nigerians to pray for the incoming administration to succeed so as to stabilize the nation.

He said: “There must be change because in the next few days or weeks there will be a new government; what can we contribute to that government to stabilize?

“Whether anybody likes it, it must take place, a new government is coming on May 29, so what can we do besides prayers, because we believe in the Almighty, we believe in God that gives and takes.

“After that so what? What do we do to help the government stabilize and move the country forward?”

While explaining the giant strides the leaders undergo for the development of their communities, the Sultan said, “We cater for thousands of people to go to schools but we don’t come out to say it. This is a forum where an example is brought for people to know how others can key into this. Some of our big men have so much that I don’t know what they will do with the money if they live 100 or 1,000 years and will not spend N1 of N1m of it, what will they do with it? How can they come out and help, such organizations or groups and individuals who are spending a lot to help our communities.”

He added, “Of course, our health care system, you know what it is, if a big man has a headache, he goes to London to take Panadol and comes back, it is a fact. So many of our governors built so many clinics, nothing is there but littered with rats but in the books, you have built 1,000 clinics in your state, it is a fact. These are things we are seeing.

He added, “Of course, our health care system, you know what it is, if a big man has a headache, he goes to London to take Panadol and comes back, it is a fact. So many of our governors built so many clinics, nothing is there but littered with rats but in the books, you have built 1,000 clinics in your state, it is a fact. These are things we are seeing.

“I am not mentioning anybody but giving a general view, so let no governor come and pick me and say Sultan has criticized me. I am not criticizing anybody. I am making a critique which is different from criticizing, so people should know that. You can critique an issue so that people will be better. We don’t criticize anybody because we have access to these people to sit down one on one, that is what we have been doing.”

His Eminence stressed that the religious and traditional institutions are important to a progressive growth in the country as such must be accorded due respect.