BREAKING: Peter Obi Vows To Free Nnamdi Kanu If Elected President
2027 presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has pledged to release Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader Nnamdi Kanu if elected president, describing his continued imprisonment as unjustified.
Speaking during an engagement with Nigerians in Washington, Obi said the government had no reason to detain Kanu over comments made on Radio Biafra.
“There’s no reason for keeping Nnamdi Kanu. I will free Nnamdi Kanu as President. He has done nothing wrong; the government has no reason to arrest him because he was speaking and calling people names on radio,” Obi said.
The former Anambra State governor argued that criticism and name-calling are common in politics and should not be criminalised.
“Anybody can tell you anything. I’m a politician and people call me all sorts of names, and I don’t think calling me names is an offence,” he added.
Obi also promised to adopt dialogue in addressing separatist agitations and other grievances across the country if elected.
“If I am in government today, I will discuss with all agitators because I believe that they have a reason for whatever they want to do, and it’s only by engaging them that we would learn,” he said.
The former Labour Party presidential candidate maintained that meaningful engagement, rather than prolonged detention, remains the best approach to resolving political and social tensions.
Kanu, leader of IPOB, is currently serving a life sentence at the Sokoto Correctional Centre.