The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in 2023 election, Peter Obi, has broken his silence on the conviction of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, describing the development as “unfortunate and failure of leadership”.
He said the development “could heighten national tension, rather than ease it.”
Obi reiterated his long-held position that Kanu should not have been arrested in the first place, noting that his arrest, detention, and now conviction, “represent a failure of leadership and a misreading of the real issues at stake”.
In a statement, the former Governor of Anambra State said the news of Kanu’s conviction “should compel every well-meaning Nigerian to pause and reflect, especially at a time like this when the country is grappling with severe economic hardship, escalating insecurity, and the consequences of prolonged poor governance”.
Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja had on Thursday convicted Kanu and sentenced him to life in prison.
Obi, who reacted through a post on his verified X page, said “the concerns Kanu raised were neither unheard of nor insoluble, and required wisdom, empathy, and genuine engagement.”
He stressed that “in functional societies, legitimate grievances are addressed through dialogue, reforms, and inclusive governance – tools he believes were not sufficiently explored by the government. Coercion becomes necessary only when reason has been exhausted. In this case, reason was not fully explored, if at all.”
While acknowledging that some may argue that “the law has taken its course,” Obi insisted that leadership often demands more than the rigid application of legal processes.
He cited “global examples where nations adopt political solutions, negotiated settlements, and even amnesty when legal outcomes alone threaten national stability”.
Nigeria, he said, should not be an exception.
Obi likened the government’s handling of the matter to “a man trapped in a hole who continues digging instead of seeking a way out,” warning that such an approach only deepens mistrust and compounds the country’s already difficult condition.
Calling for calm, Obi urged the Presidency, the Council of State, and respected statesmen to rise to the occasion and work towards sustainable peace, emphasising the need for healing over hostility, reconciliation over retaliation, and dialogue over division.
Obi noted that, in the end, “peace and reconciliation will prevail, provided Nigeria chooses the path of justice, fairness, and compassion.”
