The Arewa Consultative Forum, took what appeared to be a subtle swipe at the Yoruba ethnic group, on Wednesday, July 1.
The swipe by the ACF was in reaction to the statement by APC Chieftain, Bisi Akande, who asserted that the emergence of Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara was a conspiracy by the North against the Yoruba.
Akande had said: “Most Northern elites, the Nigerian oil subsidy barons and other business cartels who never liked President Buhari’s anti-corruption political stance are quickly backing-up the rebellion against the APC with strong support. While other position seekers are waiting in the wings until Buhari’s ministers are announced, a large section of the South-West sees the rebellion as a ‘conspiracy of the North against the Yoruba”.
The ACF responded by describing Akande’s statement as “disappointing, reckless and unbecoming of an elder statesman of Chief Akande’s status.”
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary Muhammad Ibrahim, ACF wondered why the north, which has over 230 ethnic groups would conspire against a single ethnic group- the Yorubas.
“The crisis rocking the ruling party, All Progressive Congress (APC) over the election of the National Assembly Presiding Officers and the composition of principal officers is not only of concern to the ruling party but to all Nigerians in view of the ugly development in both chambers of the National Assembly.
It is sad that an elder statesman in the person of Chief Bisi Akande who worked so tirelessly with other Nigerians to form APC which subsequently won the 2015 elections at the Federal level and many states, to now say that the crisis in the National Assembly is a “conspiracy of the North against the Yoruba”; this is most disturbing.
Why should the North comprising of more than 230 out of 250 tribes in the country single out only one of the tribes the “Yoruba” to conspire against? For what? Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) considers such statement as uncharitable and a deviation from the main agenda of Change which Nigerians voted for. The era of tribal and religious politics or inciting one tribe over the other has no place in our present political focus.
ACF, therefore, appeals to our elders and all Nigerians to show decorum and civility in their utterances, as all hands should now be on deck to move the nation forward. President Muhammadu Buhari needs the support and understanding of all Nigerians especially his party men and women to clean the mess he inherited. Nigerians expect so much from Buhari’s administration. Please help and allow him to perform.
We are of the opinion that the crisis in the National Assembly should be addressed through the party’s internal mechanism of resolving conflicts and not through reckless and unguarded statements by elders, that are supposed to be reservoirs of wisdom.”
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