The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has been thrown into a fresh leadership crisis as its Board of Trustees (BOT) insists that the tenure of some key officials, including the Secretary-General, Murtala Aliyu, has expired.
However, the embattled scribe maintains that he is still legitimately in office.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, BOT Chairman Bashir Dalhatu said the recent developments were not a crisis but an enforcement of constitutional rules on tenure limits and leadership succession.
Dalhatu explained that the ACF Constitution provides for a single six-year term for BOT members, while National Executive Council members are allowed a three-year tenure, renewable once.
He said the BOT was earlier notified of possible violations through a petition by “Concerned Members,” which reportedly included former Secretary-General Anthony Sani.
He added that the issue was deliberated at a BOT meeting on April 23, 2026, where it was concluded that the tenure of officials who assumed office in March 2020 ended on March 10, 2026.
Those affected, according to him, include Senator F. Orti, Deputy Chairman of the BOT; Ambassador Ibrahim Sule, Vice Chairman of the BOT; Senator Ibrahim Ida, Deputy Chairman of the National Executive Council; and Murtala Aliyu, Secretary-General.
“Their positions have, from March 10, 2026, become vacant in line with the constitution,” Dalhatu said.
He also stated that Aliyu was given until May 15 to complete handover arrangements but has refused to vacate office, making him the only official resisting the decision.
“In a baffling twist, Mallam Murtala Aliyu, now in his seventh year as Secretary-General, has rejected the resolution and continues to hold on to office,” he added.
Dalhatu further disclosed that efforts were made to resolve the matter peacefully, including a reconciliation meeting led by elder statesmen Haliru Akilu and Mahmud Ahmed on April 21, 2026.
However, he accused Aliyu of escalating the situation by calling an emergency National Executive Committee meeting scheduled for May 6 to challenge the BOT’s decision.
He also dismissed allegations of financial misconduct, insisting that funds in the ACF Endowment Fund remain intact and properly managed.
Dalhatu noted that oversight committees headed by Hassan Adamu and former Inspector-General of Police Mohammed D. Abubakar had been set up to ensure transparency through regular reports.
In response, Aliyu defended his position, insisting his tenure remains valid based on due process and documented reappointments.
“I was appointed Secretary in March 2020, inaugurated in August 2020, re-elected in July 2023 and inaugurated in December 2023. I have documents to support all these,” he told The PUNCH Online.
He argued that his 2023 re-election renewed his mandate, rejecting claims that his tenure had expired.
The dispute highlights growing divisions within the ACF, a major northern socio-political group known for advocating regional interests and contributing to national discourse on governance, security, and unity.