The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has made a unanimous decision to appoint Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu as the new Chairman of the Board of Trustees.
The appointment was approved during a meeting held in Kaduna on Tuesday.
GOOD EVENING NIGERIA reports that the position of Chairman became vacant following the passing of Ambassador Shehu Malami Sarkin Sudan some months ago.
Bashir Dalhatu was born in Dutse on November 12, 1949. He attended Rumfa College, Kano from 1963 to 1967. In 1972, he received a bachelor’s degree in law from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and was subsequently called to the bar in 1973 before later studying law in London.
He served in the Government of Kano State in various ministries: the Kano State Ministry of Works and Survey and Ministry of Agriculture, before later becoming state counsel in the Ministry of Justice. He later founded a private practice B. M. Dalhatu & Co. in Kano.
In 1993, Dalhatu served in the Interim National Government as the Secretary of Transport and Aviation. He also served in Sani Abacha’s government as Minister of Power and Steel from 1993 to 1997; and Minister of Internal Affairs from 1997 to 1998.
In 2018, he was promoted from Walin Dutse, to succeed his brother late AVM Muktar Muhammed as the Waziri (chief adviser to the Emir) of the Dutse Emirate. Dalhatu is also the honorary consul to Tunisia.
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Meanwhile, Mr Gabriel Aduku and Alhaji Murtala Aliyu formally assumed office as the National Executive Council (NEC) Chairman and Secretary of the Forum after ratification by the selection committee and the Board of Trustees.
Mr Aduku, who took over from Chief Audu Ogbeh, while Murtala Aliyu, the Secretary’s position was renewed for another three years.
The chairman, while presenting his acceptance speech, appreciated God and members of the ACF for their support.
He said that the position is undeserving, he however promised that himself and other executive members would deploy all they have got in their various capacities for the progress of ACF.
Aduku said that their commitment to the course will be total, while noting that they will do everything possible to ensure that they sustain the vision of the Founding Fathers of Northern Nigeria and the nation at large.
“On behalf of the newly constituted members of the National Working Committee of the Arewa Consultative Forum, I stand here today full of gratitude to God Almighty whose undeserving benevolence we have enjoyed up to this day.
Also on his part, the newly appointed BoT Chairman, Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu, said the tasks ahead are enormous but there is no cause for alarm because he is optimistic that they would tap from the wealth of experience of past predecessors.
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He emphasised that the new administration will focus on addressing the divisions in northern Nigeria, in a bid to bring everybody together and create an enabling environment that would enhance the northern culture for the prosperity of the region.
Dalhatu said it was regrettable that socio-economic challenges facing the Northern region continued to multiply.
“The reason why ACF was established was to confront any problem being faced by the North, unfortunately, the problem continues to multiply over the years.
“As men of courage we will do our best to put first the interest of the region in anything we intend to achieve that can also unite us with the rest part of the country so that by the end of our tenure we will have achievements to show for it,” Dalhatu said.
Others elected into the position of NWC included Sen. Ibrahim Ida as Deputy Chairman= Northwest, Alhaji Muhammed Kari – Vice Chairman, Northeast; Alhaji Ibrahim Moriki as Deputy Secretary General, Northwest, Achanna Yaro from Gombe state as Legal Adviser, Northeast among others.