North Central All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders and party members have called for the establishment of the North Central Development Commission (NCDC) to address issues affecting the region.
The stakeholders in separate speeches at the APC North Central zonal meeting held in Lafia, yesterday said the region had been hit by too many crises, hence the need for establishment of the commission.
The leaders also called for the dredging of the River Niger, resuscitation of the Ajaokuta Steel Complex, respect for the rights of the APC lawmakers in Plateau under the law, and more A-list appointments for party loyalists from the region.
They listed numerous issues affecting the region to include infrastructural deficits, banditry, flooding and other violent crimes, noting that they constituted great setback to subsistence and large scale farming.
They, however, commended President Bola Tinubu for his impressive handling of national issues, including the reforms which the meeting observed would enhance sustainable development.
Former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ahmed Idris Wase, said the region needs to work together as it lags behind on infrastructure, citing the abandonment of the road leading to Baro Port.
He, therefore, called for the establishment of NCDC and other interventions that could help the region.
Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue said the region was yet to recover from the 2022 flood that damaged crops and livestock, and displaced hundreds of thousands of people across the region.
Governor Usman Ododo of Kogi State aligned himself with his colleagues, saying the region needs synergy to tackle the myriad issues affecting it.
Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State called for more unity and collaboration among leaders for the purpose of achieving collective goals of development, peace, and security in the region.
Abdulrazaq of Kwara State, who is the Nigeria Governors Forum chairman and APC coordinating governor for the North Central, said the meeting was called to thank members and stakeholders for the support for the party, foster unity among stakeholders, and discuss issues of human and infrastructure 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 to the region.
Secretary to the Government of Federal (SGF), Sen. George Akume commended the initiative to bring APC leaders together for a common agenda of growth, saying President Tinubu values the contributions of the party in the region and will do more to reward their loyalty.
APC National Chairman Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, said the meeting was one of the fruits of the ongoing reforms within the party, geared towards making APC “active all year round”.
He said the party had also established the Progressive Institute to train leaders and members on key democratic principles and drive progressive policies.
Niger State Governor Mohammed Umar Bago was also represented at the event, which drew several senators, House of Representatives members, ministers, House of Assembly members and senior party executives from across the region.