The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi, has said that the conviction of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), calls for reflection and dialogue, faulting the government for mishandling the issue altogether.
ThelensNG reports that in a verdict delivered by Justice James Omotosho on Thursday at the Federal Hight Court in Abuja, Kanu was sentenced to life imprisonment on seven terrorism-related charges.
Reacting to the development on Saturday, Obi stated: “The news of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s conviction should compel every well-meaning Nigerian to pause and reflect. This is coming at a time when our beloved nation is facing severe economic hardship, insecurity, and the consequences of poor governance.
“Rather than reducing tension, this unfortunate development may well only aggravate it. I have always maintained that Mazi Kanu should never have been arrested. His arrest, detention, and now conviction represent a failure of leadership and a misunderstanding of the issues at stake. For years, I have consistently argued that dialogue, constructive engagement, and inclusive governance offer the path to lasting peace.”
According to him, coercion becomes necessary only when reason has been exhausted. “In this case, I submit that the reason was not only not exhausted, but was probably not explored at all, or not fully explored.
“The concerns Kanu raised were not unheard of. The issues for which he demanded solutions were not insoluble. It only required wisdom, empathy, and a willingness to listen. In any functional society, such grievances are met with dialogue and reforms aimed at strengthening unity.”
Obi noted that the government’s approach has only deepened mistrust and created an avoidable distraction at a time when citizens are overwhelmed by harsh economic realities and insecurity.
He continued: “While some may insist that ‘the law has taken its course,’ leadership often demands more than a strict, mechanical application of the law. Nations around the world resort to political solutions, negotiated settlements, and even amnesty when legal processes alone cannot serve the broader interest of peace and stability. Nigeria is not an exception.
“The handling of Kanu’s case mirrors the government as a man trapped in a hole but who, instead of looking for a way out, keeps digging deeper. It worsens not only the government’s predicament but also the nation’s collective condition.”
He stressed that if Nigerians truly desire a new Nigeria — a united, peaceful, and progressive one — leaders must choose healing over hostility, reconciliation over retaliation, and dialogue over division.
The former Anambra State governor further explained that only by addressing grievances with justice, fairness, and compassion can the nation move towards a future where every citizen feels heard, valued, and safe.
“My ultimate call at this time, without prejudice to how anyone feels about the decision of the court, is for us to be optimistic for peace and reconciliation which will come in the end. I am also saying, thereby, that the Presidency, the Council of State and credible statesmen who love this country and who are interested in cohesion and inclusivity, should rise to the occasion, for a lasting solution,” he added.
