Arewa forum chair suspended over unguarded comment

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) on Thursday announced the suspension of its chairman  Mamman Mike Osuman over an unguarded comment.

The Informant247 reports that the ACF chairman had earlier called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to review his economic policy to reflect positively on vulnerable Nigerians, especially from the northern region.

The statement, which was made on Wednesday in a communiqué after its National Executive Council, NEC, meeting held in Kaduna, had sparked controversies.

ACF, expressing its dissatisfaction with the economic policies of the present administration, decried its worst situation to average Nigerians, noting that northerners were affected by food insecurity, limited access to education and skills training, and reliance on microeconomic activities for survival.

However, ACF, in a statement by Alhaji Bashir Muhammad Dalhatu and Alhaji Murtala Aliyu, Chairman, ACF Board of Trustees and Secretary General respectively said, “Mr Osuman was quoted as saying the North will back a northern candidate for the presidency, come 2027.”

They said the statements were made by the NEC chairman without consulting with other leaders and members of the ACF and thus, reflected Mr Osuman’s personal opinion only.

According to the statement, “The attention of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has been drawn to widely reported statements credited to Mr Mamman Mike Osuman, SAN, 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 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.”