ACF Resolves Leadership Crisis, Reinstates Suspended Chairman  

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has reinstated Mr. Mamman Mike Osuman (SAN) as the Chairman of its National Executive Committee (NEC).  This decision follows the resolution of internal disagreements through mediation by the ACF’s Unity, Peace, and Reconciliation Committee, led by Dr. Yayale Ahmed, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation.   ALSO READ: 2024 Recruitment: NNPCL Shortlists Candidates for CBT Osuman had faced suspension over remarks interpreted as partisan, suggesting northern support for a presidential candidate in the 2027 elections.  The suspension stirred debate within the organization, known for maintaining a neutral stance on political matters.   Efforts to restore unity involved consultations with key stakeholders, including members of the Board of Trustees and the NEC.  The committee facilitated discussions that led to an amicable resolution, emphasizing the need for collective focus on regional interests.   The ACF expressed confidence in moving forward with Osuman’s leadership as it works toward its goals for the northern region.

Senate Presidency: ACF denies endorsing Kalu

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has denied endorsing former Abia governor, Sen. Kalu Uzor Kalu as its preferred candidate for the Senate Presidency of the 10th National Assembly. Alhaji Musa Saidu, a member of the forum said this in a statement on Monday in Abuja. Saidu was reacting to a statement created to Alhaji Yerima Shettima, the leader of the Arewa Youth Conservative Forum (AYCF) claiming that the ACF had endorsed Kalu for the position.“I want to say without fear of contradiction, that the ACF has no youth wing and there was no time that we sat to make Shettima the AYCF leader. The whole thing is false. “The ACF has not endorsed Kalu as the next Senate President, because we have our own ways of doing things. It is shocking to hear Shettima asking Sen. Abdulaziz Yari to step down for Kalu in the race for Senate Presidency,” he said. Saidu, also the leader of the Arewa Community in Southern Nigeria, said that the ACF would have preferred that the position be zoned to the North because of its contribution to the victory of President Bola Tinubu in the Feb. 25 election. “The North contributed the highest votes for Tinubu in the presidential election, so we can’t just endorse candidates from other zones for the Senate Presidency. “How can we work for Tinubu to become president and then turn around to start campaigning for other zones to become Senate President?“In fact, the Vice-President slot given to the North is just like a spare tyre, everybody in Nigeria knows that the position has not much value. “Since the North West gave Tinubu the highest votes, then it should be given the Senate Presidency, the position of the Speaker of the House of Representatives is too small for the zone,” he said. Saidu added: ”It is a payback time for the North, so it should be given the Senate Presidency of the 10th National Assembly. “For fairness and justice, the North should be considered for the Senate Presidency and Sen. Abdulaziz Yari should be endorsed for the position.”