A coalition of civil society groups has applauded the call by Uba Sani, Special Adviser on Political and Inter-Governmental Relations to Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai for peace and dialogue as vital instruments in moments of conflicts and disagreements in a democracy, rather than hate speeches.

Sani, during an interactive session with journalists in Kaduna, had cautioned against all forms of hate speeches by any group regardless of whichever part of the country the group comes from.

A statement made available to journalists in Kaduna on Wednesday, signed by Abdullahi Yunusa, on behalf of the Arewa Dialogue Promoters, and Christopher Bako Dangana for Unity and Peace Advocates cautioned the youth against making inflammatory statements capable of overheating the polity.

They noted that, at this point in the nation’s history, “we have a duty to identify with all the ongoing efforts to ensure that President Muhammadu Buhari administration succeeds."

The coalition said that, having come this far, all that the present administration deserves from citizens across the country is prayers for socio-economic revival, adding that success has already been massively recorded in the war against corruption and insurgency, while sanity and accountability have been brought into governance at all levels.

“As a coalition committed to peace and rule of law therefore, we totally align with the recent admonition by the Governor through his Adviser on Political and inter Governmental Relations,” the group said.

The coalition strongly condemned the resurrection of divisive cry of war by youth from both the North and South, “especially at a time efforts were geared towards improving the living conditions of all Nigerians by the Buhari administration.”

They also reiterated their call for dialogue rather than hate speeches or war cry. “Just like the Political Adviser noted, an important instrument of democracy is that we agree to disagree or disagree to agree, but dialogue remains supreme, while hate speech has no place in today’s world.”

The group then expressed hope that the youth groups from the North and South would place Nigeria first in everything they do and “embrace the spirit of dialogue and brotherhood now and always.”

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