DOI: 10.36347/sjahss.2015.v03i05.017

Pages: 1076-1082

In order to identify and evolve frameworks for political processes to sustainable statehood against the background of inter-ethnic stability and co-operation in Nigeria, the Federal Government convoked a National conference in 2014. The National Conference was a collective engagement in the character of political dialogue for peace-building in pursuit of the fleeting peace in an emerging democratic culture in Nigeria. The Conference among other things attempted to articulate an internal peace-building outcome in the democratic process through socio-economic settlement of benefits and political dialogue for cohesion and functional democratic institutions. This paper acknowledges the wide range of dialectical nuances of the debates at the conference, which started from issues rising from the nomination of delegates, unto the pluralistic make-up of the conference members. And it therefore investigates the intergroup relations in the conference in relation to the pluralistic nature of Nigeria. Applying the social dialogue approach in peace-building evaluation, the study examined the inter group relations in the proceedings, resolutions and responses to conference resolutions. The study concludes that since the legitimacy of the resolutions of the conference is already argued even before proceedings started, it follows therefore that its applicability is questionable. Therefore, notwithstanding how plausible the resolution may look, the paper made recommendations that are based on the main thesis of the discussion.