By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
There appears to be a serious crises in the Northern Socio-cultural Organization, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), following the recent out right sacking of its Chairman, Chief Gabriel Aduku, and the inauguration of a new National Executive Council (NEC) members.
The Northern leaders, under the Forum, at it General meeting, on Tuesday, in Kaduna state, also named a new Chairman, Mamman Mike Osman as replacement of the sacked Gabriel Aduku, from kogi state in north central Nigeria.
Earlier, two independent bodies alleged in a separate press statements that Governor Bello did not take it lightly the visit of ACF chairman to the Chief of Defence Staff )CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, shortly before the November 11, 2023 off-season election in Kogi State to request among others, the beefing up of security in the North and particularly, Kogi State, which was sliding into anarchy due to Insecurity.
A communique signed by the National Publicity Secretary, of the forum, Prof. Tukur Muhammad-Baba, however explained that “a joint meeting of the Board of Trustees (BOT) and the National Executive Council (NEC) of the ACF met in Kaduna on Tuesday, 12th December 2023, and discussed matters of interest to the organization”.
The communiqué also stated that “Foremost before the meeting was the endorsement of new leadership for ACF, which was approved and inaugurated”.
The newly inaugurated Officials are the Chairman, Board of Trustees (BOT), Alhaji Bashir Mohammed Dalhatu; deputy Chairman BOT, Senator Fred Orti; Vice Chairman BOT, Ambassador Ibrahim Mai Sule, Chairman NEC, Mamman Mike Osman, and Secretary General, Alhaji Murtala Aliyu.
The Forum’s Spokesman said: “the new Chairman of ACF’s NEC, Mr. Mamman Mike Osman, in his acceptance speech paid tribute to the founding members of ACF.
The new NEC pledged to reinvigorate a new ACF that would be different in outlook and impact as it seeks to contribute to national discourse on issues relevant to the Nigeria Project.
Prof. Muhammed-Baba also stressed that “the meeting also received a goodwill message from the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. George Akume who also urged the ACF to provide the needed leadership for ushering a new Northern Nigeria in its bid to overcome the multi-faceted social and economic problems, as well as for unity”.
Earlier, the Kogi East Elders Council (KEEC) and Arewa Youth Vanguard had said they have uncovered alleged plots by Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello to caused cracks in the leadership of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) with the intention to cause the removal of Aduku, the erstwhile chairman of the Forum.
The two independent bodies alleged, in a separate press statements that Governor Bello did not take it lightly, the visit of ACF chairman to the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, shortly before the November 11, 2023 off-season election in Kogi State to request among others, the beefing up of security in the North and particularly, Kogi State, which was sliding into anarchy due to Insecurity.
However, when effort were made to send messages to the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kogi State, Mr. Kingsley Fanwo, but was ignored, but after a while, he directed that, “Kindly resend the message on WhatsApp”, which our correspondent did as requested.
However, Mr. Fanwo also did not pick his call when a telephone call was put across to him by our Correspondent”, a journalist source stated.
The KEEC statement was signed by its Secretary, Mr. Alphonsus Alhassan and made available newsmen in Kaduna.
However, the Arewa Youth Vanguard through its leader, Alhaji Abdulsamad Babayo advised the leadership of ACF not to play into the hands of Governor Bello, saying the Forum will be sounding its own death knell if it plays into the hands of unscrupulous politicians.
“The attention of the Kogi East Elders Council (KEEC) has been drawn to the clandestine moves orchestrated by Alhaji Yahaya Bello, the out-going Governor of Kogi State, to mortally injure the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) through the unwarranted attempt to cause the premature and ill-advised removal of its Chairman, Chief (Arc) Gabriel Yakubu Aduku who assumed the office of the august organization only recently.
“The Governor’s grouse with Chief Gabriel Aduku (who also doubles as the Acting Chairman, Kogi East Elders’ Council, (KEEC) was his visit to the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, shortly before the November 11, 2023 off-season election in Kogi State to request among others, the beefing up of security in the North and particularly, Kogi State, which was sliding into state-tolerated anarchy.
“During the visit, Chief Aduku also expressed grave concern about the security situation in Zamfara State and other parts of Northern Nigeria . His visit therefore, could not be termed as partisan by any fair-minded watcher of recent events in Nigeria.
“As Chairman of the Arewa Consultative Forum, the entire 19 northern states fall under the purview of the ACF helmsman’s scrutiny and and it is part of his patriotic duty to consult individuals or groups anywhere in Nigeria to reposition the interest of the constituent parts of Arewa. Or, are we to assume that Kogi State is not covered by the sphere of ACF’s operations?
“If anything credit must infact, be given to the Aduku-led ACF for the relative security success enjoyed in Kogi State during the November 11, 2023 election.
“Were it not for that statesmanly and timely visit and the subsequent intervention of the military, only God knows how many persons would have been killed and maimed in Kogi State by thugs sponsored and unleashed on opponents and citizens by Yahaya Bello and his goons.
“In previous elections under this Governor, Police helicopters were deployed to unleash terror on voters at polling units by openly shooting at the electorate thereby scaring them away from exercising their franchise.
In addition, fake security personnel were all over the place, killing innocent voters, while ballot box snatching was the order of the day then.
“We also witnessed how vehicles carrying collated results were burnt down by agents of Governor Yahaya Bello.
“His grouse therefore, is that the Chief Gabriel Aduku-led ACF’s appeal for the deployment of adequate security personnel scuttled his desperate plans of causing further anarchy in Kogi State during the recent election.
“In view of the foregoing, we call on all members of the Arewa Consultative Forum to rise above the divisive manipulations of one man to tear down this house that has taken several distinguished personalities of all ethnicities in Northern Nigeria and different faiths in the region to build, over the years.
“The Arewa Consultative Forum will be sounding its own death knell if it plays into the manipulative hands of unscrupulous politicians.
“Removing or attempting to remove Chief Gabriel Aduku because one governor’s untamed ego has been ruffled, will create a crack in the very fabric of Arewa Consultative Forum, a crack that it may never recover from.
“As elders, we urge you as fellow elders, to be temperate, logical and dispassionate in handling this contentious matter. Politicians come and go but this house must not be made to fall due to indiscretion orchestrated by an irrational megalomaniac.
“Do not embarrass the Forum by playing into the hands of an inexperienced youth who has squandered a golden opportunity to make his mark in life. Doing that would be a blight on the integrity of an august body like the Arewa Consultative Forum”. Kogi East Elders said.
Also, a statement by Arewa Youth Vanguard said, “Our attention has been drawn to overt and covert measures orchestrated by Alhaji Yahaya Bello, the outgoing Governor of Kogi State to mortally injure the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) through the unwarranted attempt to remove Chief Arc. Gabriel Aduku, its Chairman who assumed the office only recently.
“In view of the foregoing, we call on all members of Arewa Consultative Forum to rise above the divisive manipulations of one man to tear down this house that has taken several distinguished personalities of all ethnicities in Northern Nigeria and different faiths in the region to build over the years.
“The Arewa Consultative Forum will be sounding its own death knell if it plays into the hands of unscrupulous politicians.
“Removing or attempting to remove Chief Gabriel Aduku because one Governor’s untamed ego that had been ruffled will create a crack in the very fabric of Arewa Consultative Forum, a crack that it may never recover from.
“We urge you as elders who we young people are looking up for leadership wisdom to be temperate, logical and dispassionate in handling this matter. Politicians come and go.
“This house must not be made to fall due to indiscretion orchestrated by an irrational megalomaniac. Do not embarrass the Forum and indeed the entire north by playing into the hands of an inexperienced youth, sadly one of us who has squandered a golden opportunity to make his mark in life. That would be a blight on the integrity of an August body like the Arewa Consultative Forum”, it stated.
Recalled that former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Audi Ogbeh from Benue state was also booted out of the office unceremoniously without finishing his tenure.
