From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja

 

Participants at the recently concluded Seminar on National Unity and Stability, organized by the Department of State Services (DSS), have blamed the persistent ethnic agitations and clamour for the restructuring of the polity on self-aggrandizement and poor governance.

The communiqué, signed by the DSS on behalf of the participants, noted that the freedom to express grievances and agitate for diverse causes could not be absolute and should never extend to hate speeches and threats that hurt the sensibilities of other groups and threaten national security.

The communiqué called on Nigerians to be more responsive and participate in matters of security, as well as hold people in authority to account, even as it noted that the current challenges to national unity and stability were partly founded on false perceptions and narratives of marginalization. 

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It added that claims of marginalization and calls for restructuring were often driven by self-aggrandizement, posturing for relevance, poor governance outcomes, political ambition and unpatriotic agenda of some persons.

“Nigeria is stronger together as a united nation, and has, by far, greater potentials and possibilities,” the document further stated.

It  stressed: “It in order to address these issues that stakeholders advised that governments at all levels have to engage with agitators, provide platforms for mutual interactions and understanding and build broad consensus and agreements for resolving the challenges.

“Good governance and visionary leadership would reduce citizen frustration, create sense of belonging and improve patriotism and contentment. Nigeria has to muster the political will that is necessary to manage the issues that question or threaten national unity, cohesion and integration.