Former Vice President Namadi Sambo and former Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau (rtd), among other eminent northerners, have joined the League of Northern Democrats (NLD).
Specifically, Sambo and Danbazau have described the formation of the League of Northern Democrats (NLD) as a timely and veritable platform to galvanise efforts at addressing the numerous challenges facing the North and the country in general.
Namadi Sambo, while hosting the leadership of the League led by its chairman, former Kano State Governor Ibrahim Shekarau at his residence in Abuja, said, ”It is very worrisome to note how insecurity has crippled agriculture while threatening education and health of our children and women, and these have continued to widen the net of poverty and inequality among people of the north and indeed the entire country.”
Sambo, a former governor of Kaduna State, who expressed full commitment to supporting the initiative, tasked the forum with ensuring that “irrespective of our political lineage, we must continue to leverage on our respective experiences and resources to play our part to meet the aspirations of our people while engendering sustainable peace and socio-economic development.”
In a separate letter of appreciation to the group, addressed to its convener, Dr. Umar Ardo, former COAS, Dambazau said, ”The deteriorating conditions in the whole of northern Nigeria, which include insecurity, banditry, illiteracy, endemic poverty, drug abuse, the proliferation of arms, and the collapse of our institutions, require urgent and coordinated action.”
While appreciating the group’s efforts and commitment to tackling the region’s challenges, Dambazau said,” The LND presents an opportunity to galvanise the efforts of our leaders and stakeholders to address these challenges and reposition the North for a more prosperous future.”
He promised to participate in group activities to address the region’s concerns.
The League of Northern Democrats, convened by elder statesman Dr Umar Ardo, was launched in a meeting attended by critical Northern elite.
The group, comprising eminent Northern Nigerians, appointed former Kano State Governor Ibrahim Shekarau as its interim chairman and former House of Representatives member, Hon. Emmanuel Jime, as its secretary.
The group is scheduled to hold a historic summit in Kaduna in October of this year, and Vice President Kashim Shettima is expected to attend.
According to its convener, the LND is not affiliated to any political party or ethnic or religious affiliations.
“It came into being to help the government tackle the myriad challenges undermining the northern states, such as insecurity, poverty, illiteracy, lack, unemployment, and the menace of drug addiction among the youth,” he said.
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