The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has said he would be open to negotiating with bandits and other armed groups if they are genuinely willing to embrace peace, while vowing to confront those who continue to engage in violence.
Obi made the remarks during a media interview with journalist Rufai Oseni, where he was asked to clarify his position on engaging criminal elements should he become president.
He stressed that his priority would be national unity and reconciliation, adding that his administration would not shut the door on dialogue for groups ready to abandon violence and contribute positively to society.
“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,” he said.
Obi argued that individuals who had erred in the past should be given a chance at rehabilitation if they demonstrate genuine commitment to change and peaceful coexistence.
To support his position, he referenced an experience from a visit to a university in the United States, where, according to him, individuals with past criminal convictions had been reintegrated into academic leadership roles after serving their sentences.
“I once visited a university in America where the entire faculty are people who came out of prison. From the dean to the registrar, professors spent years in prison for one offence or another. 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,” he said.
Obi further said his governance approach would focus on inclusion, national cohesion, and ensuring that no ethnic group or region is left behind in national development.
“I will unite the country and secure that nobody is left behind. No tribe is left behind; there would be inclusiveness. We will show love and care for everybody,” he added.