The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has suspended its national chairman, Mamman Mike Osuman,for allegedly over flogging the issue of 2027 presidency during his remarks at the National Executive Council’s meeting of the Forum on Wednesday.
In a letter of suspension read to newsmen yesterday by the Secretary General of ACF, Murtala Aliyu, it was stated that “The attention of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has been drawn to widely reported statements credited to Mr. Mamman Mike Osuman, SAN, OFR, 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 or discussing 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,” the.statement added.
Meanwhile, a Northern group, Arewa Think Tank (ATT) has said it was wrong for the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) to unanimously concluded over who would be President in 2027.
Arewa Think Tank said ACF couldn’t have spoken on behalf of other political parties against President Tinubu because ACF is apolitical and a sociocultural organisation which members do not have a common political interest.
In a statement on Thursday by the Convener of ATT, Muhammad Alhaji Yakubu, it alleged that some of the media report might have misquoted the position of the ACF following its NEC meeting last Wednesday.
“ACF is not a political organisation that can speak as an opposition party. ACF is apolitical and all its members belong to different political parties, including the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC). So the Forum cannot decide for political parties against President Tinubu.
“Some media reports that the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has announced its support for Northern presidential candidates in the 2027 general elections is nothing but an imaginative news story hanging on the heels of fake news.
“In his remarks at the NEC meeting of the Forum, the ACF Chairman, Mamman Mike Osuman, said that even though some of President Tinubu’s policies are unacceptable by the region, the bulk of the blame over underdevelopment of the North should go to its leaders.
“ACF Chair acknowledged a newly founded Northern group which according to him has some members of ACF as its new members, advising that their well thought out charities should begin at home in the North.
“He admitted that some policies of the current administration are repugnant and adverse to the interests Northern region. ACF believes that certain policies and behaviours of our own leaders within our Region need some critical evaluation.
“The ACF Chairman raised some questions, asking; to what extent are our northern elected leaders demonstrating prudence and concern for our domestic and environmental problems, to what extent are our Governors and legislators synergizing with our traditional leaders in combating ills that exist within our Region.
“Have our parents, religious teachers and the elites initiated an orientation and public awareness that will educate our people on the need for self- defence and self-preservation?.Illegal minings by foreigners aided by our own people exist in some states. What local strategies are on ground towards arresting this vice.
The ACF chairman also added that, “It is not in doubt that the North is current under siege. Our dear Region is not only being viciously attacked by bandits, terrorists and kidnappers but by sinister devises like disproportionate considerations and inequitable treatments.
“Not long ago, I received an invitation from a new body calle League of Northern Democrats. Attached to the invitation were seven (7) pages wherein were listed 260 names most of whom were former Governors, Senators and known great sons and daughters from the North. I have read the objectives of the League of Northern Democrats.
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“I commend the conveners of the Meeting. I respect and appreciate their objectives which I must say , are not a deviation from that of ACF.
“Their cause is worthy. My view is that while they tinker with the overall political issues that threaten our survival in our Region, this still remains an auspicious time to look inwards.
“To avoid being misunderstood, the progenitors of this brilliant concept should organize symposia where current travails that depress and make lives unbearable in our Region are stultifying education and economic growth.
“I have taken pains to bear my mind here because (a) I, ACF Chairman was invited and (b) within the 260 listed members, are a few names of ACF members.
Should their ultimate focus be for the year 2027, I humbly and respectfully recommend that their well thought out charities should begin now, and at home”.
“From the ACF chairman’s speech, Arewa Think Tank believes that the ACF position was well misquoted by some media coverage because from the speech there is no place saying that the ACF has dumped President Tinubu over 2027 presidential election.
“However, we challenge ACF leadership to deny or own up to some of the media reports that North has dumped President Tinubu over the 2027 presidential race” The statement said.