Northern Elders Embarrassed By ACF Crisis, Says Spokesman

The apex northern socio-cultural organisation, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has said elders of the North are embarrassed over the forum’s yet to be resolved leadership crisis that led to the blockade of it national secretariat in Kaduna by the police.

Our correspondent reports that the ACF secretariat is still under the firm control of police operatives as the forum’s crisis entered six days yesterday.

Recall that the police had closed the ACF Secretariat located at Sokoto Road, Kaduna ahead of the forum’s National Executive Committee slated for last Wednesday.

The Kaduna State Police Command had denied sealing the forum’s premises, saying its men were deployed to prevent a possible breakdown of law and order between two rival factions within the forum had fixed meetings.

On Wednesday, the forum’s National Executive Committee (NEC) led by its chairman, Mike Mamman Osuman (SAN), had suspended the chairman ACF Board of Trustees, Alhaji Bashir M. Dalhatu, over alleged financial misconduct and constitutional breaches during its meeting held in undisclosed location in Kaduna, allegations Dalhatu denied.

Speaking with LEADERSHIP Sunday, ACF national publicity secretary, Prof. Tukur Muhammad Baba, said the elders would do everything possible for the issues to be resolved.

Asked whether there would be dialogue to end the forum’s leadership crisis, Muhammad Baba said he had no concrete information but nothing above dialogue.

He said, “The secretariat is still under lock. They have opened the street, but the premises are still under police siege.  There is a breakdown of communication between the different levels. And it is sad that it is turning personal. That’s why some of us are getting discouraged about it all. ACF is the leading socio-cultural organisation of the North that unites people with different ideas.

“It’s a pity but like I said things happen for a purpose, I’m basically optimistic that a way will be found i don’t know how but it will be found.

“Well, I don’t know. We see reconciliation takes many forms. Obviously, there are attempts for each party to present their point of view. There is no factionalisation. What it is, it’s a failure to recognise boundaries, in my opinion, the different level of authorities in ACF and so on. Maybe there is some, let me say, lacuna or vagueness in the framing of the constitutional provisions. And this gives rise to different interpretations. That’s why I told you that in the end, the crisis will be positive in the sense that it will help resolve issues that are not clear, or it will bring out the different interpretations for a better one, for a more solid one”

“There is nothing that is above dialogue. And like I told you, I’m optimistic that the dialogue will be there. I will not be surprised. I don’t have concrete information or official information. But I’m very, very sure there are people, elders from the north, who are sufficiently alarmed at what is going on and are getting embarrassed about it and will do everything they can to see that issues are resolved. I wouldn’t say it’s settled.”