The AREWA Consultative Forum (ACF) has debunked a report that it had endorsed the presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, as fake and untrue.
Addressing pressmen in Kano, Chairman of Kano State’s chapter of ACF, Dr. Faruk Umar, said the report of any such endorsement was not true, as it was falsified to blackmail and confuse the voters.
He affirmed that he had confirmed personally from the national secretariat of ACF and many other elders if there was any change in the neutrality position of the group and all confirmed that the Forum remains committed to its pledge to allow members to vote their conscience.
“I am addressing you today on an issue that was reported in the media suggesting that AREWA Consultative Forum, (ACF) has decided to support the Presidential Candidate of PDP . The statement is not true. ACF is not supporting any candidate.
“We have allowed our members to use their discretion and elect the candidate of their choice. The National Secretariat has confirmed to us that they have never taken such a position .Â
“I am calling on all our members to disregard the publication and adhere to the position of the National Executive to allow members exercise their rights in choosing their candidates,” Umar said.
He noted that the ACF had in Kano, in demonstration of the group neutrality, two months ago interacted with all the governatorial candidates from Kano , where they signed an  agreement to conduct their election campaigns peacefully.
He decried recent happenings in the state and appealed to all candidates to them to keep to their words and conduct themselves peacefully during the election.
“We would like to commend INEC and the security agents for the adequate arrangements put in place and appeal to voters to give them maximum cooperation. We would like to also call on parents to counsel their children to behave themselves during and after the elections,” Umar said.
