From Femi Oyelola in Kaduna
The National Executive Committee (NEC,) of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), has suspended the Chairman of its Board of Trustees, Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu, over alleged constitutional breaches and irregularities in the management of the Forum’s N1.4 billion Endowment Fund.
The decision was reached at the NEC meeting held in Kaduna, where members also passed a vote of no confidence in the BoT chairman and directed a comprehensive forensic audit of the Forum’s finances.
According to a communique signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Professor Tukur Muhammad-Baba, NEC acted on the recommendations of the Forum’s Code of Conduct and Ethics Committee (CCEC), which investigated a petition filed against Dalhatu by ACF member Murtala Abubakar.
The petition accused the BoT chairman of moving Endowment Fund proceeds into accounts outside the Forum’s approved financial structure and making himself a signatory to the accounts without constitutional authorization.
It further alleged that he unilaterally constituted committees to advise on and manage the Endowment Fund without recourse to the NEC or the National Working Committee (NWC).
Presenting its findings, the CCEC stated that the ACF Constitution clearly assigns financial administration to designated officers and organs, with the BoT limited strictly to oversight functions. The Committee said that direct control of funds by the BoT or its chairman would constitute a gross violation of the Constitution.
Based on its review, the CCEC recommended Dalhatu’s suspension as a preservative measure pending further investigation, a vote of no confidence in his leadership of the BoT, and an immediate audit of all transactions relating to the Endowment Fund. NEC unanimously adopted the recommendations.
The communique also noted that armed police officers barricaded the ACF headquarters in Kaduna ahead of the meeting, preventing delegates and staff from accessing the premises. NEC was forced to relocate its proceedings to an alternative venue.
NEC condemned the police action, describing it as interference in the internal affairs of the Forum. It demanded the immediate withdrawal of security operatives and called for disciplinary action against those responsible for the siege.
The Forum maintained that the suspension was necessary to protect its constitution, safeguard financial integrity, and preserve institutional unity.
NEC reaffirmed that the ACF remains unbroken and committed to transparency, accountability, and the rule of law.
Professor Muhammad-Baba said the forensic audit will establish the facts surrounding the Endowment Fund and ensure that all funds are accounted for in line with the Forum’s financial regulations.
