The Borno State governor, Kashim Shettima, has declared northern Nigeria as a region in shambles and has urged the people to downplay religious and ethnic sentiments if the region wants to develop and win elections.

He also asked the members of All Progressives Congress, APC to unite to salvage the country as Nigerians go into another round of election next year.

Shettima spoke today in Kaduna on behalf of the All Progressives Congress, APC, governors at the party’s Northern Stakeholders’ interactive meeting.

According to the governor, the north in the best of times was the least in all indices of economic development.

With the insurgency ravaging some of its part, “we are now the poorest of the earth”, he noted.

“Poverty has no religion, it has no ethnicity, therefore, we must reach out to other parts of the country, so that by 2015, other Nigerians can join forces with us to salvage the country.

“We must not fight over political offices within the party. We must not allow our aspirations as individuals to jeopardize our collective resolve to salvage the country. We have the number and we are in the position to make or mar the future of the generation yet unborn in this country.

“The north is in shambles. Citizens have become refugees in their country,” he added.

He also stressed the need produce the next President from the the north, adding , ” this is not without challenges, requiring vigilance and courage.”.