The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) Media and Publicity Committee has reiterated the forum’s dedication to promoting unity in northern Nigeria as a region and the country as a whole.
The committee made this known on Tuesday during a courtesy visit to the PREMIUM TIMES head office in Abuja.
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The delegation was led by the Chairperson of the committee, Nasiru Danu.
The PREMIUM TIMES Editor-in-Chief, Musikilu Mojeed, the General Editor, Festus Owete, and the Assistant Managing Editor, Bisi Abidoye, received the team.
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According to Mr Danu, the group is committed to unifying and protecting the interest of the north despite the existence of numerous groups.
He said the goals of the other groups are significantly different from those of the ACF as they are primarily political groups, unlike the ACF, which is a social-political group.
“These are political groups with political interests. The ACF is not a political group. What brings us together as ACF is the interest, the unity and the development of Northern Nigeria.
“These groups were all members of ACF. It was later they opened up. As I said, the groups have different interests, and they can go straight and say we have northern candidates based on their political interests. We don’t do that,” he said.
Affirming Mr Danu’s statement, Muhammad Kudu Abubakar, a member of the committee, said the ACF is a social group formed by numerous ethnic groups from three different geopolitical zones and is dedicated to unifying them all.
“This is because we want to promote unity in Nigeria. We can’t unite the country if we don’t unite the north first,” Mr Abubakar, a journalist, said.
He also stated that the forum seeks to partner with Nigerian newsrooms, including PREMIUM TIMES, to promote unity.
He said, “We want this, not just for northern Nigeria but for the country, for the unity and peace of the nation. We believe we are coming here to partner with media houses like PREMIUM TIMES.
“We want everybody to understand what ACF stands for, particularly the ACF of today.
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“There’s a new leadership, of which we are members. There are changes, from the chairman of the board of trustees to the committees, and we want people to understand what we do,” he said.
PREMIUM TIMES also expressed openness to collaborate with the forum.
Mr Mojeed, while responding, said the organisation looks forward to the changes promised in the actions of the ACF.
He also urged the group to prioritise addressing the Almajiri situation in the northern states, ensuring the children receive proper protection and care.
“Addressing this would be good for the north and the country’s development,” he said.
“From time to time, we’ll be calling you. We’ll be holding you to account as well. Be patient with us when we do that,” he added.
