Former Senate President, David Mark, Thursday said that for the country to experience peace and development, Nigerians must continue to demonstrate strong sense of commitment to the unity of the country.
He stated this when he addressed members of the 3rd Regular Course of the Nigeria Defence Academy Alumni Association who met in Abuja yesterday.
Prominent members of the alumni include former Senator Tunde Ogbeha and former military administrator of Bauchi and Plateau States, Major Gen. Chris Garba.
Mark stressed that the unity of the country in the face of its diversity cannot be compromised regardless of the challenges facing the nation.
The former Senate President, who is the Chairman of the 3rd Regular Course NDA Alumni Association, noted that the body is a non-political assemblage that was created out of the need to oversee the welfare of members and their families.
He said: “This is an annual event, which is like a ritual now, and the date of September 3, is fixed permanently in our diaries.
“The 3rd Regular Course of the Nigerian Defence Academy Alumni Association is a non-governmental association, as well as a non-political one”.
The former Senate President further noted that the annual meeting is intended to be a platform for the reunion of all members, as well as a means of ensuring collective advancement of the association.
He also maintained that the essence of the annual reunion was designed to be a programme that focuses primarily on the welfare of widows and children of deceased colleagues, adding that “We’ve been able to keep this going to ensure that we look after the welfare of our own colleagues and families as much as we can. But most importantly I think it is about the reunion that brings us and our families together”.
While thanking all members for taking out time of their busy schedules to attend this year’s reunion event, he urged the retired military officers to be patriotic citizens of Nigeria, adding that they must do all within their powers to keep the nation united.
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