The All Progressives Congress has slammed a former Anambra State governor and Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 poll, Peter Obi, for opposing the conviction of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.

In a statement by the spokesperson for the party’s Lagos State chapter, Seye Oladejo, on Sunday, the ruling party described Mr Obi’s opposition as misguided, accusing the Labour Party chieftain of politicising terrorism.

The party said, “The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) strongly condemns the latest reckless theatrics of Peter Obi, who has shamelessly inserted himself into the ongoing judicial process involving Nnamdi Kanu merely to claw back relevance in a political space that has long moved past him.”

Mr Obi, in a statement on Saturday, said Mr Kanu’s views were not “unheard of” adding that he should not have been arrested, tried and jailed on terrorism charges in the first place.

He further described the IPOB leader’s conviction as a gross failure of leadership and a misunderstanding of the issues at stake.

However, the ruling APC accused Mr Obi of confusion, saying “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.”

Noting that Mr Obi had been inconsistent about his views regarding the activities of the IPOB, the ruling party further accused the former governor of selective outrage, stating that his criticism was as an attempt to dress up terrorism in the garb of sentiment.

“We strongly recommend that Obi drops his ethnic blinders, read the judgement without emotions, and in good conscience return to Nigerians with the truth about his sincerity and his innermost desires for the nation he claims he wants to lead.

“There is nothing wrong in boldly admitting he is a regional champion committed to defending “his own”- for good or for bad. What is wrong, however, is deceiving Nigerians with feigned neutrality and hypocritical sermonizing. Enough of the deceit. Enough of the pretence,” the party stated.

The APC said Mr Obi was battling “political menopause,” urging Nigerians to treat his statement as a “self-serving cry from a man watching his political walls crumble.”

It stated, “Nigeria will not negotiate its sovereignty to please a man battling political menopause. It is laughable- almost tragic – that Obi has found courage only at a time when Kanu’s fate is tied to a lawful judicial process. Where was this courage when IPOB criminals turned markets into war zones, instilled fear in schoolchildren, and shut down the economic lifeline of his region every Monday?

“Nigeria’s national security is non-negotiable. Judicial processes must never be dictated by politicians in need of headlines. The Federal Government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will continue to handle matters of treason, terrorism, and national stability with firmness, maturity, and constitutional authority.”