The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has said his administration would adopt a dual strategy of dialogue and force in tackling insecurity if elected president in 2027.
Obi stated this during an interview on BlackBox with journalist Rufai Oseni, where he outlined what he described as a balanced approach to restoring security and fostering national unity across the country.
According to the former Anambra State governor, individuals and groups willing to abandon violence and embrace peace would be engaged through dialogue, while those who remain committed to criminality and armed conflict would face the full force of the law.
“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.
He argued that sustainable peace requires creating opportunities for rehabilitation and reintegration for those who genuinely renounce violence and seek to become productive members of society.
Obi maintained that societies make progress when they provide room for redemption rather than permanently defining individuals by their past mistakes.
To illustrate his point, he recounted a visit to a university in the United States where, according to him, several members of the institution’s leadership had previously served prison terms before rebuilding their lives and careers.
“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 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,” he said.
The NDC presidential candidate also linked national security to unity and inclusiveness, stressing that all regions and ethnic groups must feel adequately represented in governance and national development.
Peter Obi said his vision for Nigeria is anchored on fairness, equal opportunity and inclusive leadership, insisting that no section of the country should feel marginalised.
“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,” Obi added.