The National Peace Committee led by former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar has said the failure of politicians to fulfil their promises led to the agitations in the country.

The NPC stated this in Abuja on Tuesday in a statement signed by its chairman, Abubakar, and the Convener, Rev. Matthew Hassan Kukah.

The group said politicians, who failed to deliver on their mandate, had found common cause with the advocates of division and hatred.

It urged the government to engage in honest dialogue with Nigerians.

It stated, “Ongoing efforts to reach out to leaders from various parts of the country should be broadened into an honest dialogue with all segments of the Nigerian population to ensure that ordinary citizens get the opportunity to convey their views to government at the highest levels and get carried along in the formulation and implementation of government policies.”

The group added that Nigeria has lost its citizen to violence.

It added, “We have lost too many of our citizens to random and diverse acts of violence; have many more maimed for life or living in displacement. Tens of thousands of children have been orphaned by conflicts and millions of our fellow citizens now face threats of starvation in the face of rising food insecurity.

“In many parts of the country, mass killings go unpunished and unresolved, inter-communal clashes have become chronic, economic deprivations and growing social exclusion and feelings of alienation, particularly among the youths, are being exploited by segments of the elite with potentially dangerous and painful consequences for us all.”

According to the NPC, the rising division reflects the perceptions by citizens that there is poor governance in Nigeria.

It stated, “Politicians, who have failed in delivering on the mandate of the electorate for better livelihoods and neighbourhoods have, instead, found common cause with advocates of division and hate.

“In many parts of the country, young people, who have been left without means of livelihood or hope in their future, have become converts to radicalisation preached by demagogues in various guises including ethnicity and religion.”

“At this time in Nigeria, more than ever before, we need government, at all levels, which work for the people, with commitment to respect the rule of law and to the security and well-being of persons and communities in the country.”

“We also need credible institutions, an economy that guarantees a fair deal and outcome for hardworking people, better physical infrastructure and an enabling environment in which citizens can thrive.”