By Henry Umoru

ABUJA—THE Northern Elders Council, NEC yesterday tongue-lashed the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF led by former Inspector- General of Police, IGP, Ibrahim Coomasie, saying that they form a motley crowd of desperate opposition politicians, who have hijacked the machinery of ACF for attacking President Goodluck Jonathan.

Addressing journalists yesterday in Abuja, Chairman of NEC and Alhaji Tanko Yakasai said only former President Shehu Shagari, former Nigeria Permanent Representative to the United Nations, UN, Alhaji Yusuf Maitama Sule and himself remain the original founding members of ACF who were instrumental to its emergence in 1967.

Yakasai noted that since the present leadership of the ACF came on board, the body has derailed from the objectives and principles of the founding fathers.

He said, “We wish to observe that since the emergence of the current leadership of the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, there has been a derailment and non-compliance with the mission and vision of the founding fathers of the forum. A motley crowd of desperate opposition politicians have hijacked its machinery.

It will be recalled that Coomasie had on Sunday alleged that there was a deliberate plan to emasculate the North economically and divide the people along religious line.

He also said President Jonathan has failed woefully on addressing the increasing level of insecurity in the north occasioned by the activities of insurgents.

According to Yakasai, “It is becoming more and more isolationist even within the region. This has greatly degraded the respectability and non-partisanship of the ACF.”