Chieftains of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) have converged on Kaduna to deliberate ahead of the 2023 elections on how to collaborate with the Afenifere and Ohanaeze on peaceful coexistence, Vanguard reports.
The ACF at the meeting cautioned its members to stay clear of speaking about and endorsing any candidate for the 2023 presidential election.
The Forum said that as the race to the 2023 general election begins, its members will be subjected to questions from outsiders as to which candidate the ACF will endorse.
The ACF Chairman, Audu Ogbe said at the National Executive Council (INEC) meeting on Wednesday, that members were advised that their answer to such question should always be, “ACF is not a political party to endorse any candidate”.
The former Minister said there was a need for the Forum to hold meetings with its counterparts in South East, South West and South-South in order to douse political tension in the country
He said such meetings would ensure peaceful coexistence among Nigerians ahead of the forthcoming general elections.
According to Audu Ogbe, their plan to have meetings with Afenifere, Ohanaeze, South-South People Congress is still on course because there is need to put a stop to abusive words against one region or the other “
“We should desist from endorsing any candidate for the 2023 presidency. If anybody asks you about endorsement, tell such person that we are not political party.”
“Even for 2023, we do not know yet who the candidate is. We are not political party. We do not participate in political activities except where it becomes necessary.
“May God help us with good candidate. It is only the Almighty God that can solve our problem.
“Our plans to have meetings with our counterpart; South South people congress, Afenifere, Ohanaeze is still in progress.
“Once we are done with the plans we will let you know. We need to make peace. Abusive words on social media will not help us. We don’t want chaos in this country. If we turn refugees where do we go?
“We will abandon all our property because we can not carry anything along with us other than Ghana-Must-Go bag”. he said.
Ogbe condemned kidnapping and killing of students and pupils in both private and public schools across the country.
He said, “government must try very hard to bring sanity to our school system, otherwise we are going nowhere because there are crimes like cultism, sodomy and others in most of our schools today.”
While the chieftains continue to deliberate on other sundry issues, journalists were seen waiting outside the venue as a communique is being expected at the end of the meeting.