Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), says the recent conviction of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), could escalate tensions in Nigeria’s south-east region.
Kanu was sentenced to life imprisonment following his conviction for terrorism.
In a post on X, Obi described Kanu’s arrest, detention, and conviction as a failure of leadership and warned that it risks deepening divisions amid the country’s ongoing economic hardship and insecurity.
@PeterObi said Kanu’s detention was unnecessary and that the government should have prioritised dialogue, constructive engagement, and inclusive governance over coercion.
“The concerns Kanu raised were not unheard of, and the issues he demanded solutions for were not insoluble,” Obi said.
He said addressing such grievances require wisdom, empathy, and a willingness to listen — qualities he believes were absent in the government’s approach.
The former Anambra governor cautioned that the government’s handling of the case has only heightened mistrust and distracted Nigerians from pressing challenges.
