Kanu’s Life Sentence May Deepen Division —Obi  

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Peter Obi, the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 election, says the conviction of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), could further inflame tensions in Nigeria’s south-east.

Kanu was recently sentenced to life imprisonment after being found guilty of terrorism.

Reacting in a post on X, Obi said Kanu’s arrest, prolonged detention, and eventual conviction represent a failure of leadership and risk deepening divisions at a time the country is grappling with severe economic hardship and insecurity.

He argued that Kanu’s detention was unnecessary, insisting that the government should have prioritised dialogue, constructive engagement, and inclusive governance instead of coercion.

“The concerns Kanu raised were not unheard of, and the issues he demanded solutions for were not insoluble,” Obi writes.

He said addressing such grievances requires wisdom, empathy, and a willingness to listen, qualities he believes were missing in the government’s approach.

According to him, the handling of the matter has heightened mistrust and distracted the nation from its pressing challenges.

Obi acknowledged that “the law has taken its course” but urged leaders to rise above strict legal interpretation. He cited examples of countries that resorted to political solutions, negotiated settlements, and amnesty when legal processes alone could not guarantee peace.

The former Anambra governor likened the government’s stance to “a man trapped in a hole who keeps digging deeper,” thereby worsening both his own predicament and that of the nation.

Obi called on the presidency, the council of state, and other respected figures to pursue reconciliation and inclusivity.

“If we truly desire a new Nigeria, united, peaceful, and progressive, our leaders must choose healin

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