Arewa leaders admit failure in defending Northern interest

• Declare readiness for restructuring, constitution amendment

Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has apologised to all Northerners for not defending their interests in security and the economy, just as it stated its readiness for any constitution review and restructuring of the country under President Bola Tinubu.

During a meeting, yesterday, of its Board of Trustees (BoT), headed by the chairman, Bashir Dalhatu, the Arewa leaders protested against past constitution conferences in the country, which, they claimed as tending to foist interests of the South on the North.

According to him, ACF must put all on notice that the North is ready, now and in the future, and willing to consider any proposal for changing the constitution as well as the administrative structure of Nigeria that may be put on the table.

He explained that the meeting was not an avenue to apportion blame, adding: “The truth is that we are all culpable. We owe our people of Northern Nigeria deep apologies for our collective failure to protect the region from falling into one of the worst crises in its history.

“The ACF, our umbrella platform, is neither pro-government nor anti-government at any level. We are pro-North. We shall acknowledge good deeds but will firmly resist unfair and unjust treatment against us.”

Meanwhile, ACF lamented the “waning interest and declining participation in its affairs by the leaders and elders of the North”, urging them to be more proactive in fighting the common problems of the North.