FROM RAHILA ABDULLAHI, KADUNA
Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, has lifted the suspension imposed on its Chairman, Mamman Osuman, SAN.
Osuman, was suspended over an unauthorised statement in which he was quoted to have said the forum would support Northern candidates in the 2027 general election.
Subsequently, the leadership of ACF suspended the chairman.
Osuman’s reinstatement was contained in statement issued and signed by ACF Secretary General, Mal. Murtala Aliyu, yesterday, pointing out that the matter had been resolved amicably following the intervention of the forum’s Unity and Peace Reconciliation Committee.
The statement reads: “Sequel to the recent suspension of the Chairman of the National Executive Council of the Arewa Consultative Forum, Chief Mamman Mike Osuman, SAN, OFR, by the leadership of ACF over an alleged unauthorised political statement not in consonance with ACF’s non partisan position.
“That the ACF Unity, Peace and Reconciliation Committee, under the chairmanship of Dr Mahmoud Yayale Ahmed, CFR ,Ajiyan Katagum, has intervened in the recent crisis. It had invited some stakeholders, including the Chairman of the Board of Trustees and that of the National Executive Council, among others, and have had a family discussion on the unfortunate development.
Consequently, the issue has been amicably resolved in the interest of the great people of Arewa, and the suspension is hereby withdrawn”, the statement read.
AljazirahNigeria reports that Arewa Consultative Forum had on November 22, 2024 suspended Osuman after his critique on President Bola Tinubu’s policies attracted widespread reactions.
The ACF said that interests of the North would be best represented by northerners.
A communiqué issued at the end of the forum’s National Executive Council meeting in Kaduna last month, the ACF expressed dissatisfaction with the current economic policies, saying it worsened conditions in the North.
The communiqué, signed by ACF’s National Publicity Secretary, Prof. Tukur Muhammad-Baba, also called on Tinubu to review and reassess his administration’s economic policies to ensure they are more compassionate, considering the current hardships Nigerians are enduring.
In this vein, Osuman said “I do admit that some policies of the current administration are repugnant and adverse to our interests as a region”.
“A sizeable number of our brothers and sisters in the region have demonstrated proclivity towards politics and political offices come 2027. They are already focusing on the 2027 elections”.
Sequel to the aforementioned the forum suspended Osuman in a letter signed by its Secretary-General, Murtala Aliyu.
“The attention of the Arewa Consultative Forum has been drawn to widely reported statements credited to Mr. Mamman Osuman, SAN, OFR, Chairman, ACF National Executive Committee, 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 or discussing with other leaders and members of the ACF and thus, reflected Mr. Osuman’s personal opinion only”.
