ACF withdraws suspension of NEC chairman, Mamman Osuman

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has lifted the suspension of Mr. Mamman Mike Osuman (SAN) as Chairman of its National Executive Committee (NEC).

The decision, which confirmed Daily Trust report, was communicated on Wednesday by the Secretary-General of the forum, Malam Murtala Aliyu, in a press release he personally signed and shared with our reporter.

This paper had reported that the suspension would be lifted on Wednesday (today).

Aliyu said, “That the ACF Unity, Peace and Reconciliation Committee under the chairmanship of Dr Mahmud Yayale Ahmed, CFR, Ajiyan Katagum has intervened in the recent leadership crisis in ACF.

“It had invited some stakeholders, including the Chairman of the Board of Trustees and that of the National Executive Council, among others, and has had a family discussion on the unfortunate development.

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“Consequently, the issue has been amicably resolved in the interest of the great people of Arewa, and the suspension is hereby withdrawn.”

Recall that Osuman was suspended over statements he allegedly made that were criticised by some of the BoT and NEC members as deviating from the organisation’s non-partisanship.

In a statement jointly signed by the ACF Secretary General, Malam Murtala Aliyu, and BoT Chairman Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu, Osuman was accused of making unauthorised remarks suggesting that the North would back a northern presidential candidate in the 2027 elections.

However, inside sources told Weekend Trust (a sister publication of Daily Trust) that the leadership crisis marked the peak of long-standing issues within the apex socio-cultural group representing northern Nigeria.

Sources revealed that these issues stemmed largely from personality clashes and ego battles between the suspended NEC chairman and the chairman of the forum’s Board of Trustees (BoT). The politics of 2027 and structural and constitutional issues in the forum were also mentioned.