NDC presidential candidate Peter Obi says his administration would negotiate with bandits willing to renounce violence while going to “war” against those who refuse, framing it as part of a broader push for national unity and reconciliation.
Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi has unveiled his game plan for tackling banditry: talk to those who want peace, fight those who don’t.
Speaking on BlackBox with Rufai Oseni, the former Anambra State governor laid out what he called a balanced approach to restoring security and national cohesion. “In uniting the country, anybody who wants peace, I will talk with him; I will negotiate with him. Anybody who wants war, we will go to war,” Obi said.
His pitch leans heavily on redemption. According to Daily Trust, Obi argued that genuine reform deserves a second chance, pointing to a personal anecdote to drive the point home. “I once visited a university in America where the entire faculty are people who came out of prison,” he said. “From the dean to the registrar, professors spent years in prison for one offence or the other. So, if you say you want to change and be part of this new Nigeria we are talking about, we have reached a point where we have to tell ourselves the truth.”
Obi tied the security push to a wider unity message, vowing no region would be sidelined. “I will unite the country and ensure that nobody is left behind. No tribe is left behind; there would be inclusiveness. We will show love and care for everybody,” he said.
The remarks reignite debate over negotiating with armed groups, with critics like Femi Falana warning such talks could breach existing laws.
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