The Arewa Consultative Forum on Thursday suspended its chairman Mamman Osuman, SAN, following widespread reactions across the country, after the northern body’s criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s policies, saying it had impoverished the North.
The ACF, in a statement, added that the interests of the North would be best represented by northerners.
In a communiqué issued at the conclusion of the forum’s National Executive Council meeting in Kaduna on Wednesday, the ACF expressed dissatisfaction with the current economic policies, which, according to the forum, worsened conditions in Northern Nigeria.
But the ACF, in a statement by Alhaji Bashir Muhammad Dalhatu and Alhaji Murtala Aliyu, Chairman, ACF Board of Trustees and Secretary General respectively, said: “Mr Osuman was quoted as saying the North will back a northern candidate for the presidency, come 2027.”
They said the statements were made by the NEC chairman without consulting with other leaders and members of the ACF and thus, reflected Mr Osuman’s personal opinion only.
According the statement, “The attention of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has been drawn to widely reported statements credited to Mr Mamman Mike Osuman, SAN, Chairman, ACF National Executive Committee (NEC), which were made during the meeting of the NEC, held on Wednesday, November, 2024, at ACF Headquarters, Kaduna. In particular, Mr Osuman was quoted as saying that the North will back a northern candidate for the presidency, come 2027.
“The statements were made by the NEC chairman without consulting with other leaders and members of the ACF and thus, reflected Mr Osuman’s personal opinion only.
“ACF rejects Mr Mamman Mike Osuman’s statements in their entirety. For this reason, the leadership of the ACF’s Board of Trustees (BOT) and that of its NEC has decided to place Mr Mamman Mike Osuman on suspension with immediate effect. A committee has been constituted for further investigations.
“A committee has been constituted for further investigations.”
Meanwhile, in the communiqué in reference signed by ACF’s National Publicity Secretary, Professor Tukur Muhammad-Baba, also called on the President to review and reassess his administration’s economic policies to ensure they are more compassionate, considering the current hardships Nigerians are enduring.
“I do admit that some policies of the current administration are repugnant and adverse to our interests as a region,” Osuman stated.
“A sizeable number of our brothers and sisters in the region have demonstrated proclivity towards politics and political offices come 2027. They are already focusing on the 2027 elections.”