Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, has criticized the continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), calling it unjustifiable and senseless.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Obi said the Federal Government’s approach lacks logic, especially if the primary reason for Kanu’s incarceration is his use of offensive language or criticisms against government officials.
“For every one of them, I mean, why is he still being held? It does not make sense to me,” Obi said when asked if he supports a political solution to Kanu’s case. He stressed that vulgar language should not be grounds for imprisonment in a democratic society.
“Some people said because he used vulgar words and everything. I’ve not seen it. They said he’s using vulgar words. But it doesn’t bother me if I’m president, whether you call me thief or idiot, which they call me today. It doesn’t bother me,” he said.
The former Anambra State governor said leadership should be focused on improving the welfare of the people, not punishing dissent. “My duty as a leader is for the common man—to put food on their table,” he added.
Obi also emphasized that his call for a political solution to the Nnamdi Kanu issue would extend to other conflict zones across Nigeria. “If there are people I can talk to, I’ll talk to them… Let’s say tomorrow we have a bandit operating in the North East, I’ll meet with him,” he said.
However, he clarified that the purpose of such dialogue would be to de-escalate violence before taking decisive action. “That is just to establish a link to say enough is enough. And afterwards, I’ll deal with it decisively.”
Peter Obi’s comments come amid growing calls for the Federal Government to respect court rulings and adopt non-violent, inclusive approaches to resolving national crises.
