Biodun Esan, Ilorin
Governors and leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (AOC) in the North Central on Saturday held a high-powered zonal meeting during which issues affecting the growth of the party and developmental priorities of the region were discussed.
The meeting specifically commended President Bola Tinubu for his impressive handling of national issues, including the reforms which the meeting observed would enhance sustainable development.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to Kwara State Governor, Rafiu Ajakaye on Saturday said the meeting called on the President to establish the North Central Development Commission (NCDC).
The meeting said the commission will tackle issues affecting the region, particularly huge infrastructural deficits, banditry and other violent crimes.
These challenges, APC leaders in the zone said are a big drawback on subsistence and large scale farming, and the perennial flooding which continues to haunt the region.
The leaders also called for the dredging of the River Niger, resuscitation of the Ajaokuta Steel Mill in Lokoja, respect for the rights of the APC lawmakers in Plateau under the law, and more A-list appointments for party loyalists from the region.
In his remarks, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Sen George Akume commended the initiative to bring APC leaders together for a common agenda of growth.
According to the SGF, President Tinubu values the contributions of the party in the region and will do more to reward their loyalty.
He also said many infrastructural projects are in the pipeline for the region, saying the President is already addressing some lopsidedness observed in some recent appointments.
Akume said massive works will begin soon on some road projects, including Makurdi-Enugu, Akwanga to Jos, Lokoja to South West, some road projects within the Kwara axis, among others.
Gov AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, who is the Nigeria Governors Forum Chairman and APC Coordinating Governor for North Central, said the meeting was called to thank members and stakeholders for their support for the party, foster unity among stakeholders, and discuss issues of human and infrastructural development affecting the region.
He called for continuous support for the President and the party, saying efforts are ongoing to get more appointments and big projects in the region.
“As leaders, we acknowledge the calls for improvement in the reward system within our party. We have raised this concern with the President, who is a Democrat, and he is quite receptive to our suggestions for a measurable change in what comes to this region going forward,” he said.
AbdulRazaq said two main committees will arise from the meeting, including one on reconciliation and project and policy formulation.
He said both committees are geared towards uniting the party and further aligning the government’s projects and policies with the aspirations of the people of the region.
AbdulRazaq said leaders of the region are concerned about the treatment of APC lawmakers in Plateau; a concern shared by all the leaders at the event.
The host Governor Sule Abdullahi of Nasarawa State, called for more unity and collaboration among leaders to achieve collective goals of development, peace, and security in the region.
He commended the party leaders and other stakeholders for the impressive attendance at the meeting, which he said marks a new positive beginning for the party and the region.
Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia said the elephant in the room for the North Central is insecurity, which requires unity and pooling of resources to address.
He lamented that the region is punching below its weight as the hub of food production and mineral resources owing to insecurity, adding his earlier call for the NCDC and other interventions that can help the region.
Alia said the region has not recovered from the flooding of 2022 that damaged crops and livestock and displaced hundreds of thousands of people across the region.
Governor Usman Ododo of Kogi aligned himself with his colleagues, saying the region needs synergy to tackle the myriad issues affecting it.
“We need a safer North Central to have a better and safer Nigeria because this region is central to the country.
“While we are blessed with huge mineral resources and rich land, we have to make it work for the people. We need to work together as a region, and that is why this gathering is of great importance,” he said.
APC National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje in his remarks said the meeting is one of the fruits of the ongoing reforms within the party, geared towards making APC “active all year round”.
He said the party has also established the Progressive Institute to train leaders and members on key democratic principles and drive progressive policies.
“Meetings like this also allow you to discuss issues that are peculiar to your region, after which recommendations are sent to different layers of the party,” he added.
Former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Wase said the region needs to work together as the North Central lags on infrastructural projects, citing the abandonment of the road leading to Baro Port.
“We have been hit by many crises and we need the North Central Development Commission. Also, all the roads in the tax credits should be completed.
“We have a situation whereby our APC lawmakers in Plateau are being asked to sign their resignation letters before they are sworn in. This is unacceptable.
“I thank the Governors of Kwara and Nasarawa States and our party national chairman for their efforts. We also need and deserve more appointments in the region,” Wase said.
The meeting was well-attended by creme de la creme from the region which included APC former national chairman Adamu Abdullahi, and National Secretary of the party Dr. Bashiru Ajibola was also at the event to give solidarity messages.
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