Questions over ACF’s survival

SEGUN OLATUNJI, who attended the Arewa Consultative Forum meeting on Tuesday in Kaduna, writes that the poor attendance by some stakeholders is perhaps a sign that the socio-political group may be heading for further disintegration

These are indeed trying times for the umbrella Northern socio-political organisation, the Arewa Consultative Forum. From all indications, the ACF is still miles away from recovering from the recent controversy that has trailed the organisation’s decision to be fully involved in who becomes the country’s president in the forthcoming April presidential election.

The major aftermath of the recent decision by the ACF to determine particularly who emerges as the Peoples Democratic Party standard-bearer, no doubt, has been a source of disarray and the crisis the forum is thrown into today.

Indeed, the biggest casualty of the fray within the ACF was its immediate past Chairman, Gen. Ibrahim Haruna (retd) who was sacked in the heat of the crisis that engulfed the socio-political body.

The continued bickering within the forum has again led to a situation in which questions are now being asked about the continued relevance of the umbrella Northern body.

The ACF Annual General Meeting held in Kaduna last Tuesday, nonetheless, provided another opportunity for Northerners to bare their minds on the future of the forum, especially with the recent happenings within its fold.

The poor attendance at the AGM raised further concerns among Northerners. The Umaru Yar’Adua Sports Hall of the Murtala Muhammed Square venue of the meeting was virtually empty. The atmosphere was devoid of the usual fanfare as riot policemen outnumbered the participants.

Vice-President Namadi Sambo, who made a last minute decision to personally attend the AGM, was taken aback by the scanty crowd at the meeting. Sambo had initially delegated the Wakilin Adamawa to represent him at the meeting, but later decided to take a break from the ongoing presidential campaign to grace the occasion.

Former Nigerian leaders and ACF patrons, among them ex-military president, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, former heads of state, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar and Gen. Muhammadu Buhari as well as Second Republic civilian president, Alhaji Shehu Shagari and the governors of the 19 northern states shunned the meeting.

In spite of the fact that many ACF chieftains and even emirs decided to boycott the meeting largely due to political differences, the Chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum, Dr. Babangida Aliyu, did not shy away from telling the region’s political elite the home truth. He fired the first salvo against the forum querying its continued relevance in the face of the recent happenings within its fold.

Aliyu in his characteristic manner lambasted the socio-political organisation, saying members of the body had failed to provide the required leadership to the people.

He blamed the political class and the elite in the North for failing to avail themselves of the opportunity to correct some of the socio-economic woes in the region when they held the reins of governance in the country.

The NGF boss, who is also the governor of Niger State expressed regret that the present generation of Northern leaders had lost focus and failed to chart a course of development for the region.

He argued that the inept leadership provided the people of the region by the ACF and other similar regional bodies since the demise of the first premier of the North, Sir Ahmadu Bello, had made it impossible for the region to attain an appreciable level of development.

Aliyu who was represented by the Deputy Governor of his state, Musa Ibeto, also questioned the competence of the ACF in handling the social, political and economic development of the North saying, “this may actually be the time to ask ourselves, what should truly be the role of the ACF?

“Are we impartial arbiters who should be in the vanguard to frankly and courageously guide the political, social and economic development of the North in particular and the nation in general? Should we continue to perhaps arrogantly demand what should have been the right and privilege of every citizen of this country? Should we be myopic and eccentric in our agitations and negotiations in the interest of the North, within the wider interest of the nation?

“When we talk about the North today, what are we really talking about? Do we still have the North that reflects a trans-ethnic community and the northerner as a citizen that transcends tribal, religious and class affiliation? Where do we stand today in the political equation of this country? Are we still having the ball; or where did we lose it and are still in the game? Are we prepared and ready to compete with other regions?”

The NGF Chairman observed that providing answers to the above questions had become imperative, especially with the turn of events in recent times and the concern raised by many Nigerians.

He noted, “The behaviour of some of us in leadership position and the entire elite class are falling short of what would have been the expectations of the founding fathers of the North/Nigeria and indeed the expectations of the younger generations who are beginning to feel that ours is a failed generation of leaders.”

By the time Aliyu finished, the expansive hall was enveloped by an edgy calm, while many of the ACF chieftains present were seated uncomfortably on the edge of their chairs.

Speaking in a similar vein, the Chairman of the ACF Board of Trustees and former FCT Minister, Gen. Jeremiah Useni, condemned the current situation in which Northerners kill themselves, stressing that such incidents put a question mark on the continued existence of the forum.

“Sadly, today as we speak, some northerners are still fighting and killing each others. The situation has assumed crisis level in places like Plateau, Bauchi and Borno states and smaller ones elsewhere. Yet, the outbreak of crisis such as this raises questions about the effectiveness and even the logic of having an organisation such as the ACF.

“The continuation of conflicts in some parts of the North possesses a unique challenge to the ACF and to every one of us. So long as some northerners remain at each other’s throat on accounts of differences in tribe and religion, it will always be difficult for the ACF to justify its existence or for the vision of its founding fathers to be realised.

“It is my hope and prayers that the various strategies started by the BOT and NEC will help find and design road map that will lead us out of this embarrassment. We need to get together, discuss and tell ourselves the truth,” Useni said.

The ACF National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Anthony Sani, however said Aliyu had the right to speak his mind, stressing that he had not said anything new about the forum.

Sani wondered why people should expect so much from the ACF even when it lacked the powers to coerce anyone to act.

Earlier, General T.Y Danjuma had said that for failing to curb corruption among the northern state governments, ACF had failed the North and the nation.

Meanwhile, some stakeholders were not happy with the Vice-President for not taking the bull by the horn, as it were, like Danjuma and Aliyu.

For them, Sambo disappointed them as he failed to dole out the hard knocks to the ACF. Apparently for political reasons, Sambo only said the Federal Government was determined to foster national unity, peace and progress.

He stressed that the promotion of cordial and harmonious co-existence among the people had become imperative.

But beyond all these comments, there is this strong feeling among the people that all is not well with the body and in their thinking that is why some other key players from the zone failed to attend the meeting.

However, another school of thought thinks otherwise, declaring that a meeting that attracted the likes of former head of state, Gen. Yakubu Gowon; former Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Muhammadu Uwais; FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed; former PDP National Chairman, Senator Ahmadu Ali; former Inspector-General of Police, Ahmadu Coomassie; Gen. Halilu Akilu; Gen. Inuwa Wushishi; Gen. David Jemibewon; Amb. Hassan Adamu; Amb. Ladan Shuni, and Senator Isaiah Balat, should be considered as well attended.