Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has said that the continued detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is unjustifiable, while also calling for greater engagement between government and separatist agitators as a pathway to resolving national tensions.
Obi made the remarks during an address in Washington, D.C., where he spoke on Nigeria’s political challenges, civic responsibility and governance reforms.
He said there was no justification for Kanu’s continued detention, arguing that dissent and criticism should not be treated as criminal offences.
“I have said this repeatedly there is no reason for detaining Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. As far as I am concerned, there is no reason whatsoever. You cannot arrest somebody because he was speaking on radio or because he was calling some people names. It doesn’t make sense. Everybody can tell you anything. I am a politician, people call me all sort of names. I don’t think calling me names is an offence, it’s not an offence,” he said.
Obi added that if given the opportunity to serve in government, he would prioritise dialogue with various agitators across the country, insisting that engagement remains a key tool for conflict resolution.
“If I am in Government today, I will discuss with all agitators, I will engage them, I will consult them because I believe they have a reason for what they want to do so it’s only by engaging them that we can learn and then solve it,” he said.
He, however, stressed that he currently holds no executive authority to act on the matter.
“I am not in a position to do anything today,” he added.
Obi also used the platform to reiterate his belief that Nigeria’s major challenge is leadership, while pointing to the country’s resource wealth and potential.
He said Nigeria’s development struggles stem from governance failures rather than a lack of resources, arguing that effective leadership remains the country’s most critical need.
His comments come amid ongoing national discussions on insecurity, separatist movements and calls for renewed dialogue between the federal government and various agitating groups across the country.
