The Arewa Consultative Forum, a pan-northern socio-political entity, has ousted Chief Gabriel Aduku, a former Minister of State for Health during ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s tenure, from the position of National Chairman.
Aduku’s departure is met with the rapid appointment of Mamman Osman, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, signaling a dynamic shift in the leadership of the Arewa Consultative Forum.
Africa Today News, New York, highlights that the former minister, among others, assumed responsibilities in May 2023 following the conclusion of Chief Audu Ogbeh’s tenure as the forum’s chairman in March 2023.
Prof. Tukur Mohammed-Baba, the ACF’s National Publicity, explained in response to inquiries that the former chairman was not elected but chosen, providing a basis for the decision to remove him.
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The architect Aduku, originally slated for a three-year term, saw his tenure curtailed before completion.
‘My apologies, but no ACF chairman was elected as such. A set of persons were selected and presented but were never inaugurated.’
‘The list was reviewed by ACF leadership selection committee; it’s the final list that was now presented, approved by the joint assembly and inaugurated.’
‘Whosoever that wasn’t inaugurated today simply didn’t make it to the final list as presented by the leadership selection committee,’ Mohammed-Baba said.
Meanwhile, the ACF, on Tuesday, met to endorse the new leadership of the northern body which was approved and inaugurated.
A communique released by Muhammad-Baba, named Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu as the Board of Trustees Chairman, while Mamman Osman was named the National Chairman of the ACF.
Others are Deputy BoT Chairman, Senator Fred Orti; Vice Chairman BoT, Ambassador Ibrahim Mai Sule; while the Secretary-General, Murtala Aliyu, retained his position.
The communique reports that in his acceptance speech, the new ACF chairman conveyed appreciation and paid respects to the founding members of the organization.
The new NEC, he pledged, would ‘reinvigorate a new ACF that will be different in outlook and impact as it seeks to contribute to the national discourse on issues relevant to the Nigeria Project.’
‘The meeting also received a goodwill message from the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr George Akume, who also urged the ACF to provide the needed leadership for ushering a new northern Nigeria in its bid to overcome the multi-faceted social and economic problems, as well as and unity.’