ACF NEC suspends BOT chairman, orders forensic audit

The National Executive Council (NEC) of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has suspended its Board of Trustees (BOT) Chairman, Bashi Dalhatu, and ordered a full forensic audit of the organisation’s finances.

The development followed the presentation of a report by the Ethics and Conduct Committee at the forum’s NEC meeting, presided over by the Chairman, Mike Ozekhome.

Presenting the report, the committee’s chairman, Nuhu Muhammad Jamu, said the panel was constituted after a petition alleging serious infractions against the BOT chairman.

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According to him, the committee adopted an expedited review process due to the gravity of the allegations and time constraints, while still ensuring fair hearing.

“We referred the petition to the BOT chairman and requested his response within 48 hours,” Jamu said. “Unfortunately, he did not respond within the stipulated time, leaving us to proceed based on available evidence.”

The committee found multiple violations of the forum’s constitutional provisions, including alleged overreach of authority by the BOT chairman in matters reserved for other organs of the organisation.

One of the cited instances was the cancellation of a meeting convened by the forum’s chairman, which the committee said lacked constitutional backing.

“While the chairman acted within his powers to summon the meeting, the BOT chairman’s decision to cancel it was not supported by any provision of the constitution,” Jamu explained.

The report also raised concerns about the participation of individuals whose membership status could not be verified, warning that such practices undermine the legitimacy of the forum’s decisions.

However, the most serious concerns centred on financial management.

The committee questioned the involvement of the BOT chairman in operational financial activities, describing it as a breach of governance standards.

“It is unusual for a supervisory body to be directly involved in financial operations. There must be a clear distinction between policy oversight and execution,” Jamu added.

The committee recommended a comprehensive forensic audit to track the movement of funds and determine whether any misappropriation occurred, as well as the recovery of any funds found to have been misapplied.

Jamu stressed that the suspension of the BOT chairman was not punitive but necessary to ensure a transparent and unbiased investigation.

“This is about preserving the integrity of the forum. We need full access to financial and administrative records to establish the facts and ensure accountability,” he said.

Meanwhile, the forum’s National Publicity Secretary, Tukur Mohammed Baba, disclosed that delegates from 18 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory attended the meeting.

He added that a vote of confidence was passed on the NEC Chairman and the Secretary-General, Aliyu Murtala.