Chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum, Dr. Babangida Aliyu, on Tuesday in Kaduna flayed the umbrella Northern socio-political organisation, the Arewa Consultative Forum, saying that the regional body had failed to provide the required leadership to the people.

Aliyu said this just as former Nigerian leaders and ACF patrons, including former military president, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida; former heads of state, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar and Gen. Muhammadu Buhari; second republic civilian president, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, and the governors of the 19 northern states shunned the forum’s much-publicised Annual General Meeting, which took place in Kaduna.

The ACF boss, who is also the governor of Niger State, during the meeting attended by Vice-President Namadi Sambo, expressed regret that the present generation of Northern leaders had lost focus and failed to chart a course for the development of the region.

He argued that the inept leadership provided by the ACF and other similar regional bodies since the demise of the first premier of the North, Sir Ahmadu Bello, had made it impossible for the region to attain an appreciable level of development.

Aliyu, who was represented at the AGM by his Deputy Governor, Musa Ibeto, questioned the competence of the ACF in handling the social, political and economic development of the North, saying, “this may actually be the time to ask ourselves, what should truly be the role of the ACF?”

Aliyu said that it was time to redefine the role of the ACF and similar groups that claim to be champions of the socio-economic and political transformation of the north.

“We need to take a cue from the broad-minded approach to issues, the political sagacity and ability to negotiate, the sophisticated reasoning, the comportment and commitment of our fallen heroes, who were selfless and lived above board in all ramifications,” he said.

Also speaking at the event, Sambo said that the Federal Government was determined to foster national unity, peace and progress, adding that the promotion of cordial and harmonious co-existence amongst the people had become imperative.

The Vice-President added that the Federal Government would ensure the resolution of the crises in Plateau, Borno and Bauchi states and return normalcy to those states without prejudice to the overall peace efforts across the country.

Chairman of the ACF Board of Trustees and former FCT Minister, Gen. Jeremiah Useni condemned the situation in which Northerners kill themselves, stressing that such incidents had questioned the need for the continued existence of the forum.

Prominent northerners, who attended the ACF AGM, included a former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon; former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Muhammadu Uwais; FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed; former PDP National Chairman, Senator Ahmadu Ali; former Inspector-General of Police, Ahmadu Coomassie; Gen. Halilu Akilu; Gen. Inuwa Wushishi; Gen. David Jemibewon; Ambassador Hassan Adamu; Ambassador Ladan Shuni and Senator Isaiah Balat.