2015: North begins fresh moves •Strategic meetings held in Saudi Arabia •ACF, govs form united front

TOP political leaders from the northern part of the country have commenced a fresh offensive targeted at ensuring that power returns to the area in 2015.
Sources confirmed that a series of meeting were held in Saudi Arabia, as part of the just concluded lesser hajj to wrap up issues believed to be constituting impediments to the northern presidency in 2015.
Sources at the series of meetings held at the Hilton Hotel, Madinah, Saudi Arabia, confirmed that top northern leaders are concerned about how to return power to the zone in 2015.
The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) is said to be driving the current bid aimed at returning power to the North.
It was gathered that top traditional rulers from the zone are being recruited to the  cause with a view to ensuring that the North speaks with one voice in the push for power in 2015.
A first-class traditional ruler from one of the north-western states, who attended one of the meetings held on August 10, was said to have blamed the failure of the North to clinch the presidency in 2011  on former office holders  from the region, whom he said had divided the people with their attitude.
Former presidential aspirant and a chieftain of the ACF, Alhaji Lema Jubril, was said to have led the August 10 meeting, which was also attended by ACF’s General Secretary, Colonel Musa Shehu (retd) and five others.
Sources confirmed that  Jubril, who was elated at the decision by the first- class traditional ruler to attend the meeting, said the decision to hold a meeting in Saudi Arabia was aimed at ensuring it was held in a conducive atmosphere away from the prying eyes of journalists.
He was said to have told the meeting that the ACF decided to exploit the opportunity offered by the Ramadan and lesser hajj period “to engage in fruitful discussion on some issues of national interest in a peaceful atmosphere devoid of media attention and other interests.”
He also stated that some governors were already in the know of ACF’s moves ahead of 2015.
It was gathered that a forum of governors of the North had been put in place with the aim of working for the emergence of a northern presidential candidate in 2015.