Kanu has done nothing, he shouldn’t be in prison, says Peter Obi
The 2023 Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi has said that IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu has done nothing to warrant imprisonment.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Obi said Kanu’s “arrest, detention, and now conviction represent a failure of leadership and a misunderstanding of the issues at stake”.
He however skipped details of the violence against the state which warranted Kanu’s conviction for terrorism.
According to Obi, the conviction is wrong at a time Nigeria is facing severe economic hardship, insecurity, and the consequences of poor governance.
“Rather than reducing tension, this unfortunate development may well only aggravate it,” he argued.
“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. 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.”
Obi believes that the concerns Kanu raised were not heard and the issues for which he demanded solutions not solved.
“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.
“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. 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.”
He said that 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”.
Obi said to have a new, united, peaceful, and progressive country, ‘our leaders must choose healing over hostility, reconciliation over retaliation, and dialogue over division. Only by addressing grievances with justice, fairness, and compassion can we move towards a future where every Nigerian feels heard, valued, and safe”.
He said the Presidency, the Council of State and credible statesmen who love the country and are interested in cohesion and inclusivity, should rise to the occasion, for a lasting solution.
