Friday last week’s interactive meeting between President Muhammadu Buhari and leaders of the two major political parties, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC was a significant milestone in the polity.

It was a soothing relief  of sorts in the face of the tension that  recently gripped the polity ,arising from the eviction order issued by  a group of Northern youths on the Igbo living in the North and that of Niger Delta militants on the Hausa and Yoruba living in the South south.

The meeting was a thawing of the ice for President Buhari. It was his first formal interaction with the leadership of the major opposition political party since his inauguration more than two years ago.

President Buhari and the PDP National chairman, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, captured the mood  with appropriate words . The President’s  admonition that opposition does not mean hostility, enmity and antagonism, echoed the spirit of tolerance that should be the watchword of any ruling party .

Chairman Makarfi’s promise to keep the government on its toes affirmed the culture of constructive opposition which is the practise in advanced democracies everywhere.

Beyond this, the meeting provided an opportunity to show the humanity of the Nigerian political class as demonstrated by the good will wishes of the PDP towards President Buhari, following his return from medical vacation in London.

We are enthused by this development considering theunending take-offs with the opposition, especially in the media.

Some state governors exhibited similar attitude towards the opposition by shutting out the major political parties from official state engagements and programmes.

Stakeholders  have also noted that this administration is the first in recent times that is yet to appoint a Special Adviser to the President on Inter-Party Affairs, whose duty  is to liaise between the leadership of opposition political parties and the rulling party.

Though Nigeria’s multi-party system of democracy encourages the winner of the presidential election to take charge of the executive, the practise of interacting with opposition parties has over time helped in building confidence in the system.

This is especially helpful in seeking backroom channels in dealing with  sensitive national issues that are  tingling the polity at the moment.

We salute President Buhari on his effort in reaching out to the main opposition political party and we laud the PDP national chairman for putting politics aside in honouring the invitation. It is better late than never.

While we commend the President on this initiative, we call on him to make bolder efforts in institutionalising the process by appointing a Special Adviser on Inter-Party Affairs.

We also urge the administration to    reassure the opposition over any misgivings it harbours. This would do it some measure of good and further cement the new relationship.