By LUKA BINNIYAT

KADUNA-The Arewa Consultative Forum,ACF, yesterday, said it would soon convene a peace and unity conference for true reconciliation and peace among the people of the North.

This was contained in a statement issued in Kaduna after a joint meeting of its Board of Trustees, BoT, and the National Executive Committee,NEC.

ACF’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Anthony Sani, who signed the statement, added that the meeting was chaired by the Chairman of the BoT, Lt. Gen. Jerry Useni (rtd). 

“The meeting considered the deteriorating security situation in the country and the recent spate of bomb blasts in some parts of the country.

It, therefore, resolved that in addition to the assignment to its security committee comprising retired security chiefs of northern extraction, ACF is to convene a peace and unity conference for the express purpose of affording northern leaders of diverse backgrounds the opportunity to deliberate on how to inspire confidence, trust and tolerance needed for peaceful coexistence, not only in the North but within a united whole Nigeria.

It added that, “ACF welcomed the decision by Mr. President that this government would depart from business-as-usual towards transformational agenda.

‘’The Forum also noted that the Presidential dream could find expression only if Mr. President is able to multiply his strength through individual members of the cabinet who enjoy the confidence and trust of most Nigerians.

“However, ACF wishes to observe that some of the ministerial nominees submitted to the Senate for screening cannot be vouched for in terms of their personal integrity that is needed for the enormous task of delivering on the promise of the new transformational agenda and campaigns against corrupt practices in the polity.

‘’It is against this backdrop that the meeting appealed to the Senate for the need to live up its oath of office by rejecting those nominees whose content of character the hallowed chamber cannot reasonably defend”, the statement added.