[dropcap type=”1″]F[/dropcap]ormer Senate President, Senator David Mark, yesterday 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.
Senator Mark stated this when he addressed members of the 3rd Regular Course of the Nigeria Defence Academy Alumni Association who met in Abuja yesterday.
He insisted 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 borne 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.”
He further explained 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.
Mark 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.
“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 it about the reunion that brings us and our families together,”
While thanking all members for making out time 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.