Obi, while addressing Nigerians in Washington, also vowed to employ dialogue with agitators if he were to emerge as president of Nigeria in 2027.
By Kehinde Okeowo
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has revealed that he would free the jailed leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, if he becomes the president of Nigeria.
He made the commitment recently while addressing Nigerians in Washington DC, United States.
Kanu was sentenced to life imprisonment on 20 November 2025, after a Federal High Court in Abuja found him guilty on seven counts of terrorism and treason.
The IPOB leader, who was repatriated to Nigeria from Kenya on 27 June 2021, is currently serving his prison sentence at the Sokoto Correctional Centre.
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Speaking on Kanu’s continued incarceration, the former Anambra State governor argued that the Nigerian government has no reason to detain him simply due to his insults on Radio Biafra.
He went on to tell his audience that he would employ dialogue with agitators if elected president of Nigeria in 2027.
Speaking at the event, Obi said: “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 the radio—it doesn’t make sense.
“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; it’s not an offence.
“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. But I’m not in a position to do anything today.”
