Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, has denounced the continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), calling it “unreasonable” and unjustified.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, the former Anambra State governor questioned the rationale behind Kanu’s prolonged incarceration, particularly if the charges against him are non-violent or based on speech.
“For every one of them, I mean, why is he still being held? It does not make sense to me,” Obi said when asked if he would support a political solution for the IPOB leader.
Obi also criticized claims that Kanu’s alleged use of vulgar language justified his continued detention.
“Some people said that because he used vulgar words and everything. I’ve not seen it. They said he’s using vulgar words. But it doesn’t bother me. If I’m president, whether you call me a thief or an idiot, which they call me today, it doesn’t bother me.
My duty as a leader is for the common man — to put food on their table,” he stated.
He emphasized that if elected, his leadership approach would prioritize dialogue, inclusiveness, and engagement over repression or military responses to national issues.
“If there are people I can talk to, I’ll talk to them… Let’s say tomorrow we have a bandit operating in the North East, I’ll meet with him. But that is just to establish a link to say enough is enough. And afterwards, I’ll deal with it decisively.”
Obi’s comments come amid growing public debate over the federal government’s handling of Kanu’s case and rising calls for a political, non-violent resolution to the ongoing Biafra agitation.
