Peter Obi Faults Nnamdi Kanu’s Conviction, Urges Political Solution

Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi, has expressed deep concern over the conviction of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

He warned that the development could heighten national tension at a time the country is grappling with severe economic and security challenges.

In a personally signed statement titled “Kanu’s Conviction: At a Time Like This,” Obi said the judgment should compel every well-meaning Nigerian to reflect on the state of the nation, insisting that the Federal Government mishandled the matter from the onset.

Obi maintained that Kanu “should never have been arrested,” describing his arrest, prolonged detention and eventual conviction as “a failure of leadership and a misunderstanding of the issues at stake.”

According to him, the concerns Kanu raised were neither new nor impossible to resolve.

He said, “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, reason was not only not exhausted but was probably not explored at all.”

Obi warned that the ruling could aggravate mistrust in a country already weighed down by hardship, insecurity and what he termed the consequences of poor governance.

He faulted the government’s approach, saying it had created “an avoidable distraction” and deepened national divisions.

He argued that many nations resort to political solutions, negotiated settlements and amnesty when legal processes alone cannot address wider concerns of peace and stability, stressing that Nigeria should not behave differently.

“The handling of Kanu’s case mirrors the government as a man trapped in a hole who, instead of looking for a way out, keeps digging deeper,” Obi said, adding that such an approach worsens not only the government’s predicament but the nation’s overall condition.

The former Anambra State governor urged the Presidency, the Council of State and respected national figures to intervene and champion a political resolution that promotes unity and peace.

“If we truly desire a new Nigeria—one that is united, peaceful and progressive—our leaders must choose healing over hostility, reconciliation over retaliation, and dialogue over division,” he said.