Former governor of Abia State and Senate Chief Whip, Orji Uzor Kalu, has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to convene a national dialogue that would involve ethnic groups in the country.

Senator Kalu in a statement he personally signed and made available to newsmen in Abuja said the national dialogue has become more compelling against the background of agitation for the balkanization of the country and growing ethnic distrust.

The Senate Chief Whip said such a forum would go a long way to douse tension and provide aggrieved Nigerians with the opportunity to ventilate their grievances against the federation.

He submitted that Nigeria’s strength lies in its diversity and break up should not be contemplated.

He said: “We have come a long way, our entanglement is so deep that all we need is diligent and deliberate efforts to realize the great dividends of diversity and pluralism. Our unity is our strength and can forever live in unity notwithstanding the diversity in culture, religion and tongues. A dialogue that has all stakeholders on the table and the president chairing it will go a long way in dousing tension across regions.”

Amidst the growing insecurity in the South-East station occasioned by killings of policemen and burning of public buildings, the former governor asked the youth in the region to exercise restraint and cautioned that a recurrence of the unfortunate event of the civil war in which millions of lives were lost stares the region in the face”.

“The policemen and military officers being killed are fathers, mothers, husbands, wives, children and relatives. ‘Anyone that has lost a close relative knows what it means to lose parents or children. I am more concerned about the lives lost because of the trickle-down effects on families.

“Our people are not known for burning homes to punish enemies. Destroying police stations and infrastructure can never be the best path to express grievances. Whenever the 1967 – 1970 civil war is mentioned, it’s an emotional experience for any peace-loving Nigerian, not just an Igbo man.

“We should not either by words or actions pursue a repetition of that horrible genocide. We should come to understand that every war ends on a table. Instead of destructions before coming to the table, is it not wiser to come to the table and avoid destruction?

“We need infrastructure, we need investments, we don’t need hostilities. So we are pleading with you to stop and embrace peace.”

On the killing of innocent young people, Senator Kalu charged the security agencies to desist from harassment, molestation and killing of innocent young people in the region.

“It is better to thoroughly conduct your investigations and avoid the indiscriminate killings of young innocent Igbo men. Our people have raised alarm and we are very worried at the rate of disappearance and deaths of innocent young men. Some of our young people now live indoors for the fear of being tagged unknown gunmen.”