Former Senate President, David Mark, has urged leaders from the northern region to stop blaming others for their woes and collectively find solutions to their problems.
He stated this on Saturday at the Third expanded meeting of the National Political Consultative Group (NPCG) North.
The interim National Chairman of the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC) argued that the North is to blame for the socio-economic challenges currently bedevilling it.
He said that given the human and natural resources available to the region, there should have been no reason for it to lag.
He said, “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.
“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.”
Citing the security challenge in the North, Mark said: “Over the last decade, banditry, terrorism, insurgency and communal clashes have turned our villages into battlegrounds, displacing millions and crippling our economy.
“Despite its vast resources, the North remains the poorest region in the country, with alarming rates of illiteracy, unemployment and poor infrastructure.
“Mistrust between and among ethnic groups and religious communities has been exploited by selfish and desperate interests, leading to violent conflicts.
“Instead of uniting for common goals, our elites often prioritise personal and sectional interests over collective progress.
“The challenges facing Northern Nigeria are intricately interconnected.
“Insecurity scares away investors, which, in turn, deepens poverty.
“Poverty fuels desperation and crime. Ethnic divisions weaken our collective resolve to demand good governance.
“Political fragmentation ensures that no meaningful development takes root in our region.
“This is not the North that we inherited.”
However, Mark said overcoming the challenges should start with a shared commitment to reject division and embrace unity, stressing that leaders “tone down our inflammatory statements and return to that golden era when we used to have genuine and deep respect for each other.”