Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has faulted the life imprisonment handed down to Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), saying the government mishandled the matter from the beginning.

Pulse247 reported that Kanu was convicted on Thursday by the Federal High Court in Abuja after Justice James Omotosho found him guilty on all seven counts bordering on terrorism and related offences. The judge ordered that he be held in a “protected custodial centre,” ruling that the Kuje Correctional Centre was unsafe due to past prison breaks and ongoing threats.

Reacting in a statement posted on his 𝕏 handle on Saturday, Obi said the conviction comes at a time when Nigerians are battling economic hardship, insecurity, and the consequences of failed governance.
He maintained that he had always opposed Kanu’s arrest, arguing that the situation called for dialogue, not force.

“I have always maintained that Mazi Kanu should never have been arrested. For years, I have consistently argued that dialogue, constructive engagement, and inclusive governance offer the path to lasting peace,” Obi said.

According to him, Kanu’s grievances were legitimate and should have been addressed through engagement rather than confrontation.

“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.”

He added that the government’s approach had deepened mistrust and created needless tension at a time when citizens are already overwhelmed by economic hardship and insecurity.

Obi argued that relying solely on the courts is not enough where national unity and long-term stability are at stake, noting that many nations resort to political solutions when legal processes cannot achieve peace.

“Leadership often demands more than a strict, mechanical application of the law. Nations around the world resort to negotiated settlements, political solutions, and even amnesty when legal processes alone cannot serve the broader interest of peace and stability.”

He described the Federal Government’s handling of Kanu’s case as “a man trapped in a hole who keeps digging deeper," saying the approach worsens both the government’s troubles and the nation’s overall condition.

Obi called on the Presidency, the Council of State, and respected national figures to intervene and pursue reconciliation rather than hostility.

“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 urged Nigerians to remain hopeful that peace and reconciliation will ultimately prevail.