A WAVE of criticism has trailed the absence of Northern governors at the 25th Anniversary celebration of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) held on Saturday in Kaduna, prompting the Northern Governors’ Forum (NGF) to issue clarifications on what many had described as an unprecedented boycott.
The event, which assembled some of the most influential figures in Northern Nigeria including the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, representatives of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, business moguls Aliko Dangote and Abdul Samad Rabiu, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Kaduna Governor Nasir el-Rufai, billionaire Dahiru Mangal, former VP Namadi Sambo, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, Minister Of Culture, Barrister Hannatu Musawa and several top traditional rulers witnessed a glaring vacuum: the non-attendance of nearly all Northern governors.
Only the Governor of Jigawa State, Malam Umar Namadi, was present in person.
Across the venue, murmurs of displeasure were evident. For many Northern elders and opinion leaders, the absence of the governors was not only conspicuous but discouraging, coming at a time when insecurity, economic stagnation, and social discontent continue to plague the region.
An elder statesman from Kano, visibly disturbed by the development, told News Point Nigeria that he was “deeply disappointed” that 19 governors abandoned such a crucial forum, especially when the North is facing one of its worst periods of insecurity.
Another prominent figure from Gombe argued that this was the most critical period for Northern governors to close ranks and unite in purpose.
“This region is bleeding. This was the kind of gathering needed to collectively rethink security and development. Their absence sent a worrying signal,” he lamented.
A traditional ruler from Bauchi went further to question whether there was an undisclosed rift between the governors and the ACF.
“If there is no problem between them and the ACF, what then stopped them from attending? Right now, the North needs collective leadership more than ever,” he said.
Responding exclusively to News Point Nigeria after the backlash, the Chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum (NGF) and Governor of Gombe State, Alhaji Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, clarified that their absence had nothing to do with neglect or indifference.
Speaking through his Director-General of Press, Ismaila Uba Misilli, Yahaya explained that several Northern governors were officially engaged at the G20 Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, where key economic discussions concerning Nigeria’s Northern region were underway.
“The governors were not absent out of disregard. Many of them, including Gombe, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Plateau, and Zamfara, were in South Africa for the G20 Summit. Their participation there was strategic and critical,” Misilli said.
He added that Governor Yahaya was duly represented by his deputy at the ACF ceremony.
“His Excellency values the ACF and what it represents. That is why he ensured the state was represented despite his international assignment,” he stated.
Sources within the NGF told News Point Nigeria that the G20 engagement focused heavily on regional investment opportunities, infrastructure development, and security partnerships areas the governors deemed vital to Northern Nigeria’s long-term stability.
However, some stakeholders who spoke to this newspaper argue that the symbolic importance of the ACF anniversary especially amid rising insecurity should have prioritized the governors’ presence.
The ACF, marking its Silver Jubilee, reiterated its commitment to speaking for the North, defending justice, and advocating for unity. But the governors’ absence has sparked a wider debate on Northern leadership priorities and the need for stronger synergy among key stakeholders.