Interim National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Senator David Mark, has decried the worsening state of Northern Nigeria, describing the region as “bleeding profusely” under the weight of insecurity, poverty, and deep-seated divisions.
Mark, a former President of the Senate, spoke on Saturday at the 3rd Expanded Meeting of the National Political Consultative Group (North) held at the Abuja Continental Hotel. The gathering drew ADC stakeholders and supporters from across the country.
Delivering a keynote address on the theme, “Unity and Social Cohesion as Panacea to the Challenges Facing Northern Nigeria,” Mark said the region is grappling with “avalanche of challenges” including terrorism, banditry, poverty, religious tensions, political fragmentation, and socio-economic stagnation.
“These challenges did not develop overnight, nor will they disappear until we resolve to take deliberate, collective, and decisive action,” he said. “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.”
He stressed that while the North was once a model of unity and development, the erosion of justice, equity, and mutual respect has given rise to widespread disillusionment and unrest.
Mark warned that division and indifference have cost the region its progress and urged leaders and citizens alike to recommit to rebuilding through purposeful action.
“The time for lamentation is over. The North is bleeding profusely, and we are the only ones who can heal it,” he declared. “Let us commit today to reject hate speech and divisive politics, invest in unifying projects—education, healthcare, and infrastructure—and hold each other accountable for our actions and inactions.”
He continued, “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.”
Mark lamented that in the past decade, banditry, insurgency, and communal clashes have turned many Northern villages into battlegrounds, displacing millions and crippling local economies. He added that despite the region’s vast natural resources, it remains the poorest in the country, with alarming rates of illiteracy, unemployment, and decaying infrastructure.
He maintained that the ADC remains the only political platform committed to confronting these issues head-on, promising that the party’s focus would be on people-centered development, inclusive governance, and peacebuilding if entrusted with power.
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