By Rita Enemuru, Reporting
THE 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi has strongly criticised the recent conviction of the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, asserting that the action represents a failure of leadership.
Peter Obi
Stonix News reported that Nnamdi Kanu was sentenced to life imprisonment on Thursday by a Federal High Court in Abuja after he was convicted on all seven counts of terrorism charges.
In a statement posted on his X account on Saturday, Obi contended that the timing of the conviction rather than reducing tension, may only aggravate it.
He argued that the legal route taken by the government was insufficient, coming when the nation is facing severe economic hardship, insecurity, and the consequences of poor governance.
He maintained that the decision to pursue a conviction instead of dialogue, constructive engagement, and inclusive governance only deepens mistrust and risks aggravating existing tensions across the country.
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“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.
“He argued forcefully that the path to lasting peace lies in constructive engagement, not coercion.
“For years, I have consistently argued that dialogue, constructive engagement, and inclusive governance offer the path to lasting peace. 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 statement read.
According to Obi, the issues raised by Kanu were legitimate and required wisdom and a willingness to listen, not a strict application of the law.
He suggested that in functional democracies, such grievances are met with dialogue and reforms to strengthen unity.
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He criticised the government’s current handling of the situation that it has only deepened mistrust and created an avoidable distraction at a time when citizens are overwhelmed by harsh economic realities and insecurity.
He acknowledged that while some may insist that the law has taken its course, leadership demands a broader, more compassionate approach.
“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 said.
He concluded with an ultimate call for national healing and inclusivity.
“If we truly desire a new Nigeria – a united, peaceful, and progressive one, our leaders must choose healing over hostility, reconciliation over retaliation, and dialogue over division, he added.
He stressed that only justice, fairness, and compassion can ensure every Nigerian feels heard, valued, and safe.
“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 concluded.
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