Peter Obi Backs Sowore’s Call for Nnamdi Kanu’s Release, Says Detention ‘Unnecessary’

Peter Obi has backed Sowore’s call for Nnamdi Kanu’s release and declared his detention ‘unnecessary’.

NewsOnline Nigeria reports that Former Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has thrown his weight behind activist Omoyele Sowore’s call for the immediate release of detained Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu.

Speaking on Wednesday during a visit to LEA Primary School, Kapwa, Abuja, Obi described Kanu’s continued detention as “irrelevant and unnecessary,” emphasizing that dialogue not incarceration remains the only sustainable path to addressing separatist agitations in Nigeria.

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When asked by journalists to comment on Sowore’s planned #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest, Obi reaffirmed his long-held stance:

“I’ve always been consistent on Nnamdi Kanu’s situation. There was no need for his arrest in the first place,” he said.
“For me, I will consult, negotiate, and discuss with anybody who is agitating. I’ve said it clearly before, and I still stand by that.”

The former Anambra State governor commended Sowore and others championing peaceful dialogue, noting that constructive engagement was essential for lasting peace.

“I thank those who are actually saying what we’ve been saying for years. Go and check what I said before 2020, 2022, and even 2024. Now that the matter is in court, due process must be followed—not just for Nnamdi Kanu, but for all agitators across Nigeria,” Obi stated.

He stressed that agitations should not be met with suppression, urging the government to handle all dissenting voices within the framework of the law.

“There’s nothing wrong with anyone calling for dialogue. Whatever we do, it must follow the rules,” he added.

Obi’s comments come just days after Sowore, the African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate in 2023, announced plans to lead a nationwide protest on October 20 in Abuja, demanding Kanu’s unconditional release.