The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has expressed its disapproval of President Bola Tinubu’s approval for the relocation of the headquarters of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and some departments of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from Abuja to Lagos.
The ACF, through its national publicity secretary, Professor Muhammad Baba, described the move as a deliberate plot against the Northern region.
According to the ACF, the decision to relocate certain federal government agencies from Abuja to Lagos is perceived as part of a disturbing pattern of actions taken against the interests of the North and other parts of the country.
The forum raised concerns about the potential negative impact on Northerners and characterized the decision as an antagonistic move.
The ACF cited a viral letter from a contractor, Avsatel, requesting the relocation of the project for the refurbishing of Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) vehicles from Katsina to Lagos as an example of deliberate attempts to short-change the Northern region by the federal government agencies.
While FAAN stated that the relocation followed comprehensive consultations with stakeholders, including unions, the ACF called 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.
The forum also warned against relocating the ARFF project from Katsina to Lagos, emphasizing that Katsina was the designated location for the project based on the original scope of work.
