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Baba-Ahmed Laments Absence Of North-West Leaders At Development Commission Summit,

Kaduna

Former Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the Office of the Vice President, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has expressed deep concern over what he described as the disappointing absence of key political and traditional leaders from a major summit of the North West Development Commission (NWDC) held in Kaduna.

In a strongly worded statement, Baba-Ahmed said none of the seven governors from the North-West states—Kano, Jigawa, Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto and Kebbi—attended the gathering from start to finish. He added that the meeting was also devoid of emirs, senior Islamic clerics, and leaders of political parties, despite the strategic importance of the commission to the region’s development.

According to him, even representation from the National Assembly was limited, with attendance largely restricted to lawmakers he described as “controversial” and often accused of obstructing progress.

Baba-Ahmed lamented that the North-West, long challenged by poverty and underdevelopment, is now facing what he termed a more troubling crisis of leadership.

“Yes, our zone suffers from poverty, but the greatest poverty we have is that of leadership,” he said, questioning the commitment of those entrusted with the region’s future. “If I am not committed to myself, how can I be committed to others?”

He noted that such indifference from leaders reflects a deeper problem and signals why meaningful development continues to elude the region, despite the establishment of interventionist bodies like the NWDC.

The former presidential adviser concluded by praying for the emergence of leaders who genuinely care about the people of the North-West, stressing that the public is gradually becoming aware of where the real challenge lies.

The North West Development Commission was established to address infrastructural deficits, insecurity and socio-economic challenges in the region, which has been severely affected by banditry, poverty and displacement in recent years.