Prosecute those plotting interim govt for treason, ACF tells FG

A leader of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) called on the federal government on Saturday to arrest and prosecute proponents of an interim national government, describing such agitation as the height of unpatriotism. Dr. Mohammed Ghali‑Alaaya, chairman of the Kwara State chapter of the ACF, made the appeal while addressing journalists at the Annual Weekend Ramadan Lecture of the Kwara State Television Authority in Ilorin.

Dr. Ghali‑Alaaya emphasized that Nigerians had already chosen their preferred candidate among the presidential flag‑bearers during the general elections, and he questioned why those advocating an interim government had not accepted that reality. He explained that the push for a power shift from the North to the South stemmed from concerns among northern stakeholders—particularly the region’s governors—that President Muhammadu Buhari, a northerner, was completing his second term. The call for a power shift, he said, was intended to allay fears that the country might break up if the North continued to hold the presidency.

According to the ACF chairman, the fact that President‑elect Asiwaju Bola Tinubu secured the majority of his votes from the North demonstrated the region’s commitment to power rotation. He noted that northern governors, mindful of the nation’s expectations, openly supported the transition of governance to the South. “There have been insinuations that Nigeria will break up, and everyone is afraid,” he said. “The decision for a power shift was made on a solid platform, with good intentions, and it has been widely embraced since 2019, even by the diaspora.”

Dr. Ghali‑Alaaya praised Tinubu’s unexpected primary victory and decisive win in the general election, highlighting that many of Tinubu’s votes came from the North—a surprising outcome for a candidate winning comfortably outside his own region. He concluded by warning that anyone, regardless of rank, who advocates or supports an interim government in any form will face strong opposition. “Such individuals should be arrested and prosecuted for treason, as this is the height of unpatriotism for the country,” he asserted.