Former Senate President and Interim APC Chairman, David Mark, has issued a stark warning about the deteriorating state of Northern Nigeria, asserting that only the African Democratic Congress (ADC) possesses the necessary vision and determination to address the region's escalating challenges.
Speaking at the 3rd expanded meeting of the National Political Consultative Group (North) at the Abuja Continental Hotel, Mark emphasized that the northern region is experiencing severe hardship that requires immediate collective action.
"These challenges did not develop overnight nor will they disappear until we resolve to take deliberate, collective and decisive action. We must first admit that we are the architects of our problems, we must stop the blame game if we truly and genuinely want to find a lasting solution," Mark stated during his address.
The gathering, which focused on "Unity and social cohesion as panacea to the challenges facing Northern Nigeria," drew party members and supporters from across the country. Mark painted a grim picture of the North's worsening insecurity, increasing poverty, and growing social fragmentation.
He highlighted how disunity, apathy, and inaction have exacerbated the situation, urging northerners to return to the values that once made the region prosperous. "Division has cost us progress, while indifference and inaction have continued to deepen our division. If we are to overcome our present travails, we must return to the principles of justice, equity, mutual respect, and shared purpose that once made Northern Nigeria a beacon of hope, peace, unity and development," he remarked.
Mark's assessment of the northern situation was particularly poignant as he declared, "The time for lamentation is over. The North is bleeding profusely, and we are the only ones who can heal it. Let us commit today to reject hate speech and divisive politics, invest in unifying projects—education, healthcare and infrastructure, hold each other accountable for our actions and inactions and shake hands across the divide and restore our bond of brotherhood."
The former Senate President expressed deep concern over the devastating impact of a decade of violence on the region, pointing to banditry, insurgency, and communal conflicts that have ravaged rural communities, displaced millions, and hindered economic growth.
Despite Northern Nigeria's abundant natural and human resources, Mark lamented that the region remains trapped in poverty, with some of the worst statistics in the country regarding illiteracy, unemployment, and infrastructure decay.
He concluded with an optimistic note, stating, "If we do these, I have no doubt we will rebuild this region into a powerhouse of not just peace and social cohesion but also of economic progress, human ingenuity and compassion."
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