A fresh political controversy has erupted after Ejimofor Opara, Special Adviser on Media to Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo, criticised comments made by Peter Obi regarding the conviction and imprisonment of IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu.
Opara accused the 2027 presidential hopeful of undermining both the Nigerian and Finnish judicial systems through remarks suggesting there was no justification for Kanu’s continued detention.
The criticism followed comments Obi reportedly made while addressing Nigerians in Washington, D.C., where he questioned Kanu’s imprisonment and advocated dialogue as a solution to political grievances and agitation.
Reacting in a statement shared on Facebook, Opara described Obi’s comments as “careless and self-serving,” arguing that they disregarded judicial decisions reached after lengthy legal proceedings.
According to Opara, Obi’s remarks amounted to an insult not only to Nigeria’s courts but also to Finland’s judiciary, which convicted Simon Ekpa, a prominent pro-Biafra agitator, on terrorism-related charges.
“Peter is a product of the Nigerian Judiciary. In 2006, the judiciary restored his mandate against all known odds. The same judiciary came to his rescue in 2007 after Andy Uba had skillfully maneuvered him out of the power game. If there is anyone who should have utmost respect for, and become an ambassador of, the Nigerian judiciary, that person should be Peter Gregory Obi,” Opara said.
The governor’s aide further argued that Obi’s comments were unfair to judges who handled the Kanu case and insisted that political leaders should be careful not to erode public confidence in judicial institutions.
“For a man going into a major election, pandering to terrorists is not an advantage, especially when the judiciary has painstakingly committed itself to ensuring a just and open process,” he added.
Opara maintained that Obi owes both the Nigerian judiciary and Finnish courts a public apology.
“Peter owes both the Nigerian Judiciary and the courts in Finland an open apology,” he stated.
The comments have sparked fresh debate among political observers and supporters of both camps, with many weighing in on the role of politicians in commenting on judicial decisions and national security matters.
Kanu was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in November 2025 on terrorism-related charges, while Simon Ekpa was sentenced by a Finnish court in September 2025 for offences linked to separatist activities.
As of the time of filing this report, Obi had not publicly responded to Opara’s criticism.
