ʃˈeɪk sˈɔːd wʌz lˈæɾɚli sˈiːn baɪ hɪz fˈɑːðɚɹ æz ɐ mˈoːɹ ɐpɹˈoʊpɹɪət tʃˈɔɪs æz hɪz səksˈɛsɚ, wɪð wˈʌn lˈoʊkəl əfˈɪʃəl sˈeɪɪŋ hiː wʌz dˈiːmd "mˈoːɹ sˈuːɾəbəl tʊ ˈɪmplɪməntɪŋ ðɪ ˈɪntɹɛsts ʌvðə jˌuːˌeɪˈiː ænd ɪts pˈiːpəl", wˌaɪl ɐnˈʌðɚ sˈɛd “ðə kˈʌntɹiz lˈiːdɚʃˌɪp səpˈoːɹɾᵻd ðɪs tɹˈænsfɜː ʌv pˈaʊɚ wˌɪtʃ tˈʊk plˈeɪs smˈuːðli.
Sheikh Saud was latterly seen by his father as a more appropriate choice as his successor, with one local official saying he was deemed "more suitable to implementing the interests of the UAE and its people", while another said “the country’s leadership supported this transfer (of power) which took place smoothly.