Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has called on Nigerians and the federal government to embrace dialogue, reconciliation, and inclusive governance in the wake of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s life imprisonment by a Federal High Court in Abuja.
Obi described Kanu’s conviction on seven terrorism-related charges as a moment for sober reflection, noting that it comes at a time when the nation is grappling with economic hardship, rising insecurity, and growing public disillusionment with governance.
In his statement, Obi argued that the government’s handling of Kanu’s arrest, detention, and trial has aggravated mistrust and risks inflaming tensions rather than resolving underlying grievances. He stressed that dialogue and constructive engagement remain essential for lasting peace, warning that coercive measures should only follow after all other options have been fully explored.
“The concerns Kanu raised were not impossible to address. A responsive government would have sought solutions that foster unity instead of confrontation,” Obi said. He further noted that legal enforcement alone cannot secure stability, pointing to examples from other countries where negotiated settlements, political solutions, and even amnesty are employed when laws alone cannot resolve deeply rooted conflicts.
Obi likened the government’s approach to “a man trapped in a hole who, instead of finding a way out, keeps digging deeper,” saying it has only worsened the nation’s collective challenges.
Highlighting the need for mature leadership, Obi urged Nigeria’s political elite to prioritise healing and reconciliation over retaliation, stressing that peace requires deliberate and empathetic action. “If we truly desire a united, peaceful, and progressive Nigeria, our leaders must choose dialogue over division, reconciliation over hostility,” he said, calling on the Presidency, Council of State, and respected statesmen to rise to the occasion.
Obi’s statement underscores the pressing need for national healing and inclusive engagement at a time when tensions over governance, security, and social cohesion are high, signalling that legal outcomes alone will not resolve the deeper crises facing the country.
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