North-East Political, Traditional Leaders Urged To Work For Democracy

• The North East Development Association (NEDA) called upon political and traditional leaders to unite for the region’s socioeconomic development
• NEDA emphasized the need for cooperation among leaders and urged support for Vice President Kashim Shettima as the region’s political leader

The North East Development Association (NEDA) has urged the zone’s political and traditional leaders to band together and work for the area’s socioeconomic development.

Comrade Bitako Abubakar Umar, NEDA’s Secretary General, stated at a press conference following the association’s 37th General Meeting on Tuesday in Abuja that the call has become imperative to deliver democracy dividends to the people of the zone.

Bitako, flanked by other executive members of the association, also asked other zone political leaders to support and close ranks with Vice President Kashim Shettima as the zone’s political leader in order for him to succeed.

He said:

NEDA as an advocacy and socio-cultural group serving as the mouthpiece of the sub-region, on its 37th meeting reviewed the political trends and developmental activities on the ground in the sub-region, and as usual, wishes to draw the attention of the good people and the critical stakeholders on the issues, with a view to strengthening the good paths and strides towards the recovery of the region from the devastations due to insurgency, conflicts, and other related criminal tendencies.

He said critical stakeholders and the people of the sub-region need to remember that the region was a big hub for agricultural and business activities before the advent of Boko-Haram and the communal and ethical clashes that befell it.

To achieve the above, political and traditional leaders must agree to come together, work together, and establish a good political will, coupled with sincerity of purpose, devoid of political, religious affiliations and ethnic backgrounds. By doing so, institutions, policies, and programmes of government can be implemented without hitches, Bitako said.