The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has called on Nigerians to make informed decisions in the 2027 general elections, stressing that citizens should choose candidates based on individual assessment rather than party directives. In his Independence Day message, ACF Chairman Mamman Mike Osuman, SAN, emphasized the importance of every eligible Nigerian obtaining and securing their Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) to participate actively in the electoral process.
Osuman cautioned voters against allowing political parties to dictate their choices, emphasizing that voting should be based on individual analysis, conscience, and judgment. He stated that every citizen's vote is a personal expression of choice and a constitutional instrument for determining who should be entrusted with public responsibility. This, he said, is crucial in ensuring that the right leaders are chosen to represent the people.
The ACF chairman also warned politicians and their supporters, particularly youths, against violence before, during, and after elections. He urged citizens to avoid trouble-prone locations, gatherings, and incidents, stressing that no political contest is worth the loss of human life. Osuman called for the rejection of violence, inflammatory rhetoric, provocation, and destruction of lives and property, promoting a peaceful electoral process.
Osuman expressed concern over the challenges confronting Nigerians, including insecurity, displacement, economic hardship, poverty, and natural disasters. These problems, he said, have disrupted economic activities, closed schools, separated families, and destroyed livelihoods. He noted that some of these difficulties are either perpetrated or aggravated by individuals entrusted with leadership and governance.
The ACF chairman called for introspection among Nigerians, particularly people of the northern region, urging them to examine whether divisions along ethnic, religious, political, and personal-interest lines are undermining collective development. He emphasized that the strength of society depends not only on its population and resources but also on unity, shared values, justice, and commitment to the common good.
Osuman further charged parents, elders, and teachers to provide moral and ethical guidance to young Nigerians, emphasizing the importance of inculcating values such as honesty, discipline, hard work, tolerance, patriotism, peaceful coexistence, and respect for the rule of law in the younger generation. This, he believes, will help shape a better future for the country.
The ACF chairman concluded by emphasizing the need for Nigerians to work together to build a stronger nation. He encouraged the northern region to continually remind itself that diversity should be a source of strength and not a justification for division. By doing so, Nigerians can work towards a more united and prosperous future.
Key points
- ACF chairman urges Nigerians to vote based on individual assessment rather than party directives
- Osuman warns against political violence and promotes a peaceful electoral process
- ACF chairman emphasizes the importance of inculcating moral and ethical values in young Nigerians
