Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has flayed the conviction of the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
Obi described the the development as “unfortunate” and failure of leadership.
On Thursday, Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja convicted Kanu and sentenced him to life imprisonment.
But Obi in his reaction in a statement posted on his verified X page, said the news of the conviction should compel Nigerians to pause and reflect, especially at a time when the country is grappling with worsening economic hardship, insecurity and the fallout of poor governance.
Obi stressed that his position had always been that Kanu should never have been arrested in the first place, arguing that the Federal Government mishandled the matter from the onset.
Obi argued that Kanu’s arrest, prolonged detention and eventual conviction represent “a failure of leadership and a misunderstanding of the issues at stake.”
He added that the grievances Kanu raised were not impossible to address, insisting that dialogue, empathy, and inclusive governance should have been the government’s first line of action.
“The concerns Kanu raised were not unheard of,” Obi wrote. “They required wisdom, empathy, and a willingness to listen. In functional societies, such grievances are met with dialogue and reforms aimed at strengthening unity.”
Obi warned that the conviction may worsen national tensions rather than reduce them, especially at a time when Nigerians are overwhelmed by harsh economic realities.
The LP 2023 flagbearer criticised the government’s hardline approach, stating that nations often adopt political solutions, negotiated settlements, or even amnesty when legal processes alone cannot guarantee peace and stability.
Obi wrote: “The news of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s conviction should compel every well-meaning Nigerian to pause and reflect. This is coming at a time when our beloved nation is facing severe economic hardship, insecurity, and the consequences of poor governance.
“Rather than reducing tension, this unfortunate development may well only aggravate it. 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.
“The concerns Kanu raised were not unheard of. The issues for which he demanded solutions were not insoluble. 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.
“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.
“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. Only by addressing grievances with justice, fairness, and compassion can we move towards a future where every Nigerian feels heard, valued, and safe.
“My ultimate call at this time, without prejudice to how anyone feels about the decision of the court, is for us to be optimistic for peace and reconciliation which will come in the end. 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.”
