The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, of playing divisive politics over his reaction to the conviction of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
Kanu was on Thursday sentenced to life imprisonment for acts of terrorism by a Federal High Court in Abuja.
Trial judge James Omotosho, who convicted him on all seven charges, said he ought to have sentenced the convict to death, given the enormity of his offences and lack of remorse, but decided to be lenient, citing scriptural persuasion.
In a statement issued on Sunday by its spokesman, Seye Oladejo, the party said Obi was seeking political relevance by attacking the Federal Government and questioning the court judgment that led to Kanu’s sentencing.
The Lagos APC described Obi’s comments as reckless theatrics, saying the former Anambra State governor had consistently failed to condemn the violent actions attributed to IPOB but was quick to criticise government efforts aimed at tackling terrorism and maintaining national security.
According to Oladejo, Obi’s selective outrage exposes a pattern of double standards.
“Only a man steeped in political confusion can refuse to condemn IPOB’s murderous activities yet preach morality to the Nigerian state.
“Only a man drowning in irrelevance would pretend to care about justice while ignoring the innocent citizens maimed, slaughtered, beheaded, extorted, and silenced under the reign of terror unleashed by IPOB militants.
“Peter Obi’s sudden moral awakening is fraudulent. His selective outrage is insulting. His attempt to dress up terrorism in the garb of sentiment is dangerous,” he said.
The party challenged Obi to explain why he kept silent when parts of the South-East were engulfed in violence allegedly caused by IPOB militants, including killings, beheadings, and the enforcement of an illegal Monday sit-at-home directive.
“The salient question that Peter Obi must answer is simple: Why the inconsistency in his position?
“How does he condemn Boko Haram and their ilk wholeheartedly in one breath, only to embrace, defend, and rationalise IPOB in another?
“This two-faced political morality exposes his deep-seated bias, his hollow rhetoric, and his desperate ambition disguised as compassion,” Oladejo queried.
The APC further accused the former presidential candidate of using national security issues as a tool to revive his political project, insisting that Nigeria’s sovereignty would not be negotiated to satisfy a desperate politician in need of visibility.
“Obi’s rant is a pathetic audition for 2027 – another failed attempt to resurrect a political project that is now beyond resuscitation.
“He can rant from morning till night; national security will never be placed in the fragile hands of sentimentalists who only speak when their political calculators beep,” the statement added.
Obi had said that Kanu’s arrest and conviction represented a failure of leadership and a missed opportunity for dialogue.
In a statement on Saturday, he argued that the government should have explored political solutions and broader consultations to address grievances raised by the IPOB leader.
Obi said his position was driven by a desire for peace, equity, and justice, not sentiment.
“I have always maintained that Mazi Kanu should never have been arrested. His arrest, detention, and now conviction represent a failure of leadership and a misunderstanding of the issues at stake.
“For years, I have consistently argued that dialogue, constructive engagement, and inclusive governance offer the path to lasting peace. Coercion becomes necessary only when reason has been exhausted. In this case, I submit that the reason was not only not exhausted, but was probably not explored at all, or not fully explored,” he said.
Obi noted that leadership often demands more than a mechanical application of the law, adding that nations around the world adopt negotiated settlements when legal processes alone cannot guarantee stability.
He urged the Presidency, the Council of State, and national elders to intervene for the sake of peace and unity, insisting that Nigeria must choose reconciliation over hostility.