Peter Obi condemns Kanu’s conviction, says it may heighten tension

By Paul Dada

Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has condmened the conviction of IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu by the Federal High Court in Abuja.

He also urged the Federal Government to pursue dialogue and national reconciliation following the conviction of the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu.

In a statement on posted on his X handle, Obi said the development came at a moment when Nigerians were already battling severe economic hardship and insecurity. “The news of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s conviction should compel every well-meaning Nigerian to pause and reflect,” he said.

Obi warned that rather than calming the tension in the land, the judgment could “only aggravate it”, even as he maintained  that the entire episode reflected a failure of leadership. “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,” he stated.

He argued that the grievances raised by Kanu were neither new nor impossible to resolve. He said,  “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.”

Obi said the government’s approach had deepened mistrust at a time when citizens were overwhelmed by economic suffering. He noted that while some may insist the law had taken its course, leadership demanded more than “a strict, mechanical application of the law.”

He added: “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.”

Obi said: “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.”

Calling for a shift from confrontation to reconciliation, he urged key national institutions and statesmen to intervene. “If we truly desire a new Nigeria… our leaders must choose healing over hostility, reconciliation over retaliation, and dialogue over division,” he said.

Obi appealed for calm and optimism, saying he believed peace would ultimately prevail. “My ultimate call at this time… is for us to be optimistic for peace and reconciliation which will come in the end. The Presidency, the Council of State and credible statesmen… should rise to the occasion for a lasting solution.”