Wase, APC chief lament Northcentral’s underdevelopment

Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Idris Wase, has expressed concern over underdevelopment of the Northcentral geopolitical zone comprising Nasarawa, Kogi, Kwara, Plateau, Niger and Benue states.

Also, National Vice Chairman (Northcentral), of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Sulaiman Wambai, canvassed economic development for the zone.

The duo spoke during the Northcentral Zonal Meeting/Mini Convention at the weekend in Abuja.

At the occasion attended by party stalwarts from the zone, Wase called for concerted efforts to address the problem associated with marginalisation and infrastructure decay in the solid minerals- and agricultural-rich zone.

The deputy speaker, who chaired the House Committee on Federal Character in the 8th assembly, stressed the need for equitable distribution of resources in the country.

Expressing optimism that the APC would continue to grow from strength to strength across the country, he promised an improved working relationship between National Assembly and the party as well as the citizenry in the zone.

His words: “I am the deputy speaker for Nigeria, but I have my own constituency, which is this particular zone. In terms of distribution of appointments, we are far behind. The only way we can change the narrative is by coming together. We must come together as a family to carry one another along and pursue one common cause of a better zone and country.

“We are not going to agitate, but to announce and ensure that we push for good representation. They say, to whom much is given, much is expected. That is why we have to work together, all the governors and lawmakers, to ensure we earn for ourselves what we deserve.”

Wambai called on governors, lawmakers, ministers and party leaders from the zone to come together through strategic engagement in policies and programmes that would benefit the people in the zone and the country at large.

He urged the zone to tap into its abundant mineral deposits to give the nation an alternative to oil revenue, arguing that the immediate future of Nigeria depended on the food from zone than oil in the Southsouth, which the country had relied on.

While acknowledging Lafia, the Nassarawa State capital, as the headquarters of Northcentral APC, Wambai proposed that, for administrative convenience, an office be cited in Abuja for secretariat work and meetings.