Interim National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Senator David Mark, has said that forming a united opposition front ahead of the 2027 general elections is essential to liberating Northern Nigeria from the ongoing scourge of insurgency and banditry.

 

Speaking at the third plenary session of the Northern Political Consultative Group (NOCG) in Abuja on Saturday, July 26, the former Senate President described the region as being held hostage by insecurity, poverty, and disunity. He emphasized the need for deliberate, united action to reverse the region’s decline.

 

Mark called on northerners to reject hate speech and divisive politics, and instead focus on unifying investments in education, healthcare, and infrastructure. He urged leaders and citizens alike to choose dialogue over confrontation, peace over retaliation, and reconciliation over revenge, noting that the time for peace and healing had come.

 

“Too much blood has been shed. The North must embrace peace,” he said.

 

 

 

He lamented that despite the region’s rich natural resources, agricultural potential, and cultural diversity, it remains the poorest in Nigeria, plagued by illiteracy, unemployment, and underdevelopment.

 

Mark attributed much of the crisis to the exploitation of ethnic and religious differences by political elites, which has led to violent conflicts, political fragmentation, and economic stagnation.

 

“This is not the North we inherited. Insecurity has scared off investors, deepening poverty and fuelling crime. Ethnic divisions have weakened our unity and resolve for change,” he stated.

 

 

 

The ADC chairman urged political leaders to become bridge-builders, not dividers, and warned against the continued weaponization of ethnicity and religion, particularly during elections.

 

He argued that true leadership must be rooted in service, not manipulation, and affirmed that the ADC represents a departure from the politics of division.

 

“This is where the ADC will make the difference,” Mark asserted.