The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has reiterated that agitations across the country, including those linked to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), must be addressed through dialogue and not repression.
Speaking on Arise News on Monday, Obi said that while he condemns all acts of violence or illegality by any group, forceful suppression is not the solution.
“I criticise every single act that is wrong, whether it’s in the East, West, or South,” he stated, adding that constructive engagement remains the best path forward.
Obi responded to criticisms that he has been soft on IPOB, saying that his position has always been based on the principle of dialogue, which is essential in a democracy.
“Any agitator, I will discuss with. There’s nothing wrong in agitation — whether it’s urban movement, whether it’s modern movement. I’ll sit down and discuss with them,” he said.
Drawing a parallel with family life, Obi said even his children disagree with him sometimes, and the solution is always dialogue.
“I have children who say, ‘Oh, I don’t want to do this, daddy,’ and I say, ‘Okay, give me your time. Let’s talk.’ Why don’t we do the same with our people?” he asked.
Obi decried what he called the misinterpretation of civility as weakness in today’s Nigeria.
“We’ve been radical in our approach and we thought that bad behaviour and radicality make you powerful. No. You actually kill the system,” he warned.
He added, “Good behaviour has become weakness. Good character has become weakness… If I go into a place where people are shouting and beating people, I’m a strong person?”
On Rivers Crisis: Nigeria Abandoning Democracy
Speaking on the political unrest in Rivers State, Obi warned that recent developments suggest Nigeria is drifting away from democracy.
He criticised the suggestion of declaring a state of emergency in Rivers, describing it as an attack on democratic principles.
“You cannot, under any circumstances, solve a problem in a democratic setting by going against the rules. There’s a process,” he said.
Obi insisted that political conflicts must be settled within legal and constitutional boundaries.
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