The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has declared its intention to support northerners vying for the presidency in 2027.
The Forum stated this in a communique issued at the end of its National Executive Council meeting in Kaduna State and its National Publicity Secretary, Prof. Tukur Mohammed-Buba.
The ACF blamed President Bola Tinubu’s administration for the worsening condition of the North and the poor state of the country’s economy.
The group lamented that President Tinubu’s flawed selection process had allowed many people without competence or experience to rise to positions of power and authority in the country.
The ACF urged the government to take another look at its economic policies to give it a human face.
The communique read: “Security is an irreducible minimum of human existence. In this regard, insecurity in its various manifestations remains the most worrisome challenge of Arewa people, that has even started to corrosively undermine the authority of government; such that people have started to ask what the purpose of government is!
“That those whose responsibility that it is to provide security will be saying they are doing their best is unacceptable. The minimum duty of government is to safeguard life and property, and doing anything less is a failure.
“Members expressed displeasure at the current and continuing improvisation of the proverbial common men and women in the country due to the economic policies of the current administration.
“The Meeting noted in particular that Arewa people remain at great disadvantage, being already relatively worse off economically, compared to other parts of Nigeria. Livelihoods are currently dependent on micro activities.
“The region faces acute and chronic food insecurity; its youths lack education and skills training. Daunting as these may be, they can be reversed. The time to think big is now.
“Notwithstanding the parlous state of Arewa’s glaring challenging economic conditions, the policies of current Federal Government has continued to make matters much worse, with little indications of needed sensitivity to the precarious existential conditions of Arewa people.
“Succinctly stated, economic reforms while indeed desirable, should not impoverish the same people that they are meant to serve; the people may not be alive to reap the putative benefits.”