ACF: A FORUM AT WAR WITH ITSELF
Northern leaders should do well and end the Arewa Consultative Forum squabble When the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) emerged in March 2000 from the merger of three Northern groups, at
The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) finds itself embroiled in a profound internal conflict, fracturing the very unity it was founded to foster. Established in March 2000 as a merger of three Northern groups at the behest of the late Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Maccido, the ACF’s constitution outlined a singular mission: to "foster and strengthen the foundation of Northern unity within the context of one Nigeria."
Beyond unity, the ACF sought to establish a mechanism for regular discourse to resolve disputes, and to bolster the educational and socio-economic standing of its members.
Now, 25 years later, the ACF struggles to reconcile its own discord. At the heart of the conflict is the power struggle between the Board of Trustees (BoT), led by former Minister Alhaji Bashir M. Dalhatu, and the National Executive Committee (NEC), presided over by Chairman Mamman Mike Osuman and Secretary-General Malam Murtala Aliyu.
The dispute escalated recently when Chairman Osuman filed a petition against individuals who allegedly entered the ACF’s Kaduna headquarters, changed locks, and removed items without consent or legal authorization. This incident is a culmination of a feud that has seen BoT chairmanship shift recently, with the suspension of Osuman for comments on the 2027 presidential election, followed by its reversal after mediation by respected bureaucrat, Alhaji Mahmud Yayale Ahmed.
The tension deepened further when the NEC alleged financial misconduct against Dalhatu, leading to his suspension by police, and a forensic audit ordered. Despite these developments, the ACF’s challenges transcend personal disputes. The organization's founding objectives—to unite the North, prevent breaches of peace, and improve its socio-economic conditions—remain largely unaddressed.
The North grapples with deep-seated ethnic and religious distrust, a prolonged insurgency in the North-East, banditry in the Northwest, and the highest rate of out-of-school children in the country. These critical issues are overshadowed by the ACF's internal feuding, which seems to prioritize ego-driven confrontations over addressing the region's urgent needs.
To salvage its mission, Northern leaders, including the 19 governors, religious leaders, and emirs, must urgently intervene and mediate this crisis. Only through unity and cooperation can the ACF fulfill its purpose and contribute meaningfully to the development of the North and, by extension, the entire nation.
Written by urgent.news from This Day's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
