By Peter Duru, Makurdi

The Executive Director of Africa Center for Corporate Responsibility, ACCR, Mr. Austin Onuoha has asked President Bola Tinubu to create more room for dialogue with aggrieved groups in the country in 2025.

He said the resort to dialogue is not a sign of weakness but it would help the government calm frayed nerves, douse the mounting tension in the country and  build confidence in the people.

The ACCR who made the call Thursday said groups like the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, the Oduduwa Republic agitators among others across the country should be called to round table discussions to put an end to such agitations.

He also urged the President as leader of the ECOWAS to take deliberate steps to have the francophone countries that left the subregional organisation to return back pointing out that it would serve the interest of Nigeria if the neighbouring countries return back to the ECOWAS fold.

He said: “President Tinubu should make 2025 a year of dialogue. Anyone or group that has a grievance, let government begin to talk to them.

“Whether he wants to set up a committee or will mandate the public petitions committee of National Assembly, let him begin to talk to everybody. We need to douse the tension in the country.

“We need to talk to people. Many Nigerians are aggrieved and generally, they are being alienated from the system. Loyalty is now turning more into ethnic cleavages and  families. We no longer pledge allegiance to the nation because people do not see Nigeria as benefitting them in the short and long run.

“The first step towards addressing grievances is to acknowledge the person’s grievance. No grievance is small no grievance is trivial. People must be listened to and you need to ask them what would make them happy.

“Also the Youths Confab we talked about was a total waste of time. Talk to aggrieved groups and any group that is not able to identify its leaders to talk to government doesn’t exist. Make this year a year of dialogue with all aggrieved groups and probably find solutions to their grievances.”

He advised that “the government also needs to put money into roads, health, and into agriculture. We are putting so much in security but other sectors also need serious attention.”