Senator urges N/east govs to show commitment to devt commission

By Christiana Ekpa and Ikechukwu Okaforadi

Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim representing Yobe East Senatorial district has described presidential assent to the Northeast Development Commission (NEDC) as a landmark towards addressing the pathetic plights of the people living in the Northeast, Nigeria.
This was just as the lawmaker urged governors of the North East States, to show commitment at enduring that resources accrued to the Commission were not diverted and misuse.
Speaking with newsmen at the National Complex Abuja, the former governor expressed faith in President Buhari’s capacity in tackling insurgency to the barest minimum.
According to him, the signing into law of the NEDC bill was as a result of Buhari’s understanding of the zone when he served as Military Administrator of Borno State.
“I must commend President Buhari for signing Northeast Development Commission bill into law.”
“I do know that Buhari understands the economy of Northeast having being Military Administrator of the old Borno State, and how the zone has been devastated now, he is also feeling sympathetic to the people”, he added.
The lawmaker urged the FG and the benefitting States to be wary of crooks and fraudulent people, adding that the Commission is no conduit pipe for anynody.
He was optimistic that donor agencies’ contributions and efforts of governments would better be coordinated now.
He said “governors of the six States must show commitment at enduring that resources accrued to the Commission were not diverted, adding that they were enough competent people in the zone to work in the commission.
“The Northeast is not what it used to be again. We have many of well educated people to serve as workers in the Commission. So I urged government to look inwards towards engaging those who could move the Commission forward”, he said.
He recalled that the NEDC Bill’s debate was hitchfree in the Senate and House of Representatives because, lawmakers felt that the zone which has contributed immensely to the unity of Nigeria did not deserve what they were passing through, while commending lawmakers for taking the decision in national interest.
Buhari’s intention to contest 2019 presidential election, he expressed his opinion that Buhari could be President all his life.
“On 2019 presidential election, President Buhari can be a life President and we will all support him. If he decides to contest in 2019 on the platform of APC, we will support him to win”, he maintained.