Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has slammed elder statesman and a chieftain of Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, over his recent alleged unguarded comments about the 2014 National Conference.

The forum accused Adebanjo of making a crude comment, which allegedly painted northern position on the event in bad faith.

ACF was reacting to an interview Chief Adebanjo granted a national daily where he said Northern interest won’t let Buhari implement confab report.

He said: “My own view and the view of Afenifere is that a northerner will not be so disposed to changing the Constitution because they are the beneficiary of what we are complaining about. Let them disprove that. About 500 distinguished Nigerians recommended a new Constitution unanimously and nobody has come out to say what we did there was wrong”.

Reacting to Adebanjo’s statement, ACF National Publicity Secretary, Muhammad Ibrahim, warned the Afenifere chieftain to watch his tongue.

“ACF feels embarrassed and disappointed with such unguarded statements from an elder statesmen of Chief Adebanjo standing, who chooses to make generalized statement on the basis of region or faith rather than on specific national issues.

“ACF, therefore, appeals to our elder statesmen, irrespective of where they come from, to look at issues from a wider national perspective that will promote unity and cohesion rather than on sectional or religious considerations.

“Elder statesmen are not only reservoir of wisdom and experience, but also exhibit leadership quality and show decorum in their utterances and actions. President Muhammadu Buhari needs the support and co-operation of all Nigerians especially our elders irrespective of political and other considerations to move the country forward and deliver his campaign promises to Nigerians.

“It is not in our character and training in ACF to openly attack or fault statements of an elder statesman of Chief Adebanjo’s status on national issues. However, we are constrained to disagree with his statement quoted above and also considered it necessary and appropriate to put the issues he raised in their correct perspective for Nigerians to know the other side.

“The 2014 National Conference was convened by former President Goodluck Jonathan on March 17, 2014 as a platform for dialogue as a result of agitations by various interest groups. It also discussed issues and problems that appear to inhibit national progress or challenge national cohesion. It also proffered appropriate solutions that would assist in moving the nation forward.

“However, the selection process of delegates by President Jonathan’s government to the confab made the North that has a population of 75,268,686 people (NPC 2006) with a land mass of 730,885 square km (80%) as a minority with 189 delegates while the South with a population 65,151,458 people (NPC 2006) with a land mass of 193,438 square km (20%) as a majority with 303 delegates.

“Despite this glaring injustice and disadvantage, the North, as a region did not only participate in the overall national interest of Nigeria but also stabilized the conference on crucial issues of national unity.

“On the elder statesman’s claim that ‘nobody has come out to say what we did was wrong’, we need to refresh his memory, that it is on record the Northern delegates at the confab raised serious objections to some of recommendations especially the issue of a new 2014 constitution which was never discussed during the conference plenary sessions, this forced the confab management to drop the idea.

“Many other groups also objected to the recommendation on the creation of 18 additional states, dissolution of local government councils as third tier of government, resource control and revenue sharing formula etc. ACF therefore considers it absurd and strange for Chief Adebanjo to say that the 2014 Confab recommended a new constitution and that it was never challenged.

“ACF considers this unfair and uncharitable to the North. Furthermore, what are the benefits the North as a region is enjoying as claimed by Chief Adebanjo to the detriment of the South? ACF considers such statement sarcastic and in bad taste, knowing fully well the security challenges in the North and its devastative effect on our people and the region’s socioeconomic activities in last six years,” the statement said.