Longstanding members of the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, have warned the new Chairman of the forum, Arc Gabriel Aduku, to desist from dragging the ACF into his personal political warfare in Kogi State or risk being removed as Chairman.
According to the members, representing the different Arewa states, the idea behind the formation of the ACF is, among others, to promote the development, unity, peace and prosperity of the Arewa North as an entity, while having a healthy relationship with other areas of the country.
In a statement on Tuesday, 27 June, 2023, titled, “Stop Using ACF For Your Political Fights in Kogi State”, jointly signed by Dr. Asha Manga, who was the Governorship Candidate for Action Alliance in the just concluded elections; and Alhaji Sadiq Bulama, member, Borno State/ Secretary to the immediate past chairman of ACF, among others, the Arewa leaders said the ACF was never meant to be a divisive political tool in the hands of an individual or a few to use for their local political fights.
The press release urged the general public to view recent position taken by the new chairman of ACF, Architect Gabriel Aduku, on the politics of his home state of Kogi as an expression his personal political sentiments and should not be considered as the position of the ACF as an organization.
“We are to unite the North, not divide it. Limit your Kogi politics within your Kogi East Elders’ Forum, don’t bring ACF down into it,” the ACF members cautioned the new Chairman.
The ACF stakeholders noted that though Aduku was barely two months in office, any leader of ACF, especially its chairman, was expected to be a father to all, irrespective of political affiliations, and not a champion of divisive politicking that could undermine the unity and peace of any part of Arewa.
“It is public knowledge that Aduku who also doubles as Chairman of the Kogi East Elders’ Forum has recently thrown his weight behind one of the governorship candidates in the November governorship election in Kogi State.
“Therefore, he cannot claim to be a disinterested party in the election. So, for him to now proceed to the ACF headquarters in Kaduna where he made scathing partisan political statements that are extremely divisive with regard to the November election, could be mistaken as the collective position of the ACF which is not,” they said.
Those who signed the statement include Alhaji Ahamed Musa Kumo, ACF member, Gombe state; Hassan Mohammed, Bauchi State; Alhaji Tanko Malami, Kebbi State; Alhaji Munir Mohammed, Katsina State; Alhaji Nasiru Zakaria-Gwarzo, Kano State; Alhaji Bello Wadata, Sokoto State; Malam Usman Kabiru, Taraba State; and Umar Modibo, ACF member, Adamawa State.
