The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) expressed its disapproval of President Bola Tinubu's approval for the relocation of the headquarters of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and certain departments of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from Abuja to Lagos.
Professor Muhammad Baba, the national publicity secretary of the ACF, labeled the move as a deliberate plot against the Northern region, citing concerns about the potential negative impact on Northerners.
The forum characterised the decision as an antagonistic move, part of what they perceive as a disturbing pattern of actions against the interests of the North and other parts of the country.
The ACF pointed to a viral letter from contractor Avsatel, requesting the relocation of the Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) vehicles refurbishing project from Katsina to Lagos, as evidence of deliberate attempts to short-change the Northern region by federal government agencies.
FAAN asserted that the relocation decision followed comprehensive consultations with stakeholders, including unions.
However, the ACF is now calling on President Tinubu's government and the National Assembly to intervene, urging the agencies to reconsider their decisions and explore alternative means of addressing the alleged over-crowding in offices.
Highlighting their concern about the ARFF project, the forum warned against relocating it from Katsina to Lagos, emphasising that Katsina was the designated location for the project based on the original scope of work.