CENSUS: ACF DEMANDS ODIMEGWU’S SACK

The apex northern socio-political organisation, the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, yesterday called on President Goodluck Jonathan, to sack the Chairman of the National Population Commission, NPC, Chief Festus Odimegwu, before the 2016 census.
ACF also urged the Federal Government to be focused on dialogue as a veritable means of bringing to an end the activities of the Boko Haram insurgency.
A communiqué signed by ACF spokesman, Mr. Anthony Sani, after the forum’s National Working Committee, NWC, meeting, said the query issued to the NPC boss by the Federal Government was commendable.
The communiqué reads in part: “The meeting considered the briefings by the Presidential Committee on Peace and Dialogue on its progress on the Boko Haram issue and urged the Federal Government to be focused on dialogue as a veritable means of bringing to an end the unsavoury activities of the insurgents.
“To this end, ACF appeals to all patriotic groups, individuals and the general public to support the Federal Government’s efforts in this regard.
“While ACF is not opposed to the improvement of management practices that could bring about acceptable census needed for the planning of socio-economic and political development of the country, it also submits that all past censuses were manipulated in favour of a section of the country to the chagrin of the other sections, may be understood but not acceptable.
“That is why ACF appeals to the Federal Government to reconsider its decision to allow the 2016 census under the watch of Chief Odimegwu for obvious reasons.”
Source: National Mirror