The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has said he would be open to dialogue with bandits and other armed groups if they are genuinely ready to embrace peace.
He made the remark during an interview on BlackBox with Rufai Oseni, where he was asked whether he would consider negotiating with bandits if elected president.
Obi said his administration would prioritise national unity while engaging any group willing to abandon violence and contribute to rebuilding the country.
“In uniting the country, anybody who wants peace, I will talk with him; I will negotiate with him,” Obi said.
“Anybody who wants war, we will go to war.”
The presidential candidate stressed that individuals who have made mistakes in the past should be given the opportunity to reform if they show genuine commitment to peace.
He recalled an experience during a visit to a university in the United States, where he said members of the institution’s leadership had previously served prison sentences.
“I once visited a university in America where the entire faculty are people who came out of prison,” he said.
“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.”
Obi added that his approach to governance would focus on inclusion, unity, and ensuring that no group or region is left behind.
“I will unite the country and secure that nobody is left behind. No tribe is left behind; there would be inclusiveness,” he said.
“We will show love and care for everybody.”