Presidential Candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, while in Washington, USA, recently, before Nigerians seeking his view on unifying Nigerians, stated emphatically that if he becomes President, he will listen to every section.

To achieve the aim of unifying the country, ‘I will listen to all agitators, harmonise them and make some sacrifices with a view to bringing the country together.’

When Peter Obi stated that he would “listen to all agitators with a view to uniting Nigerians,” he offered a significant shift from the conventional, iron-fisted approach to state security and national cohesion.

This philosophy according to a release issued by Ibrahim Umar a presidential campaign spokesman positions dialogue, social justice, and inclusion as the primary mechanisms for healing Nigeria’s deep-seated geopolitical fractures. Unfortunately, his position has been misconstrued by some people who singled out Nnamdi Kanu as one of the agitators and ran with it just to attach Obi to their ethnic motives.

For decades, Nigeria has leaned heavily on military and security interventions to suppress regional grievances, whether in the Southeast, the Niger Delta, the Middle Belt or the North. Obi’s proposal, being twisted by opponents, suggests that agitation is often a symptom, not the root cause.

By shifting the strategy from active combat to active listening, Obi plans to treat agitators not just as security threats but as citizens with grievances — many of which stem from economic marginalisation, perceived injustice, and institutional neglect.

True national unity cannot be coerced; it must be built. The core argument for Obi’s dialogue-first model rests on three main pillars: Many regional agitations are driven by poverty, high youth unemployment, and uneven development. Listening allows the government to identify the socio-economic disparities driving the anger.
Agitation frequently flares up when a region feels entirely excluded from the federal power structure.

A conversational approach signals that every region has a legitimate seat at the table. And democracy, which our principal plans to practise realistically, will encourage structured dialogue to restore faith in democratic institutions and to demonstrate that the state values civic engagement over intimidation.
“True peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice.”
This timeless principle underpins the concept of engaging aggrieved factions to find a common, workable middle ground for a fractured nation.

Peter Obi’s Media Office, therefore, believes that his stance of listening to agitators is a pragmatic recognition that gun barrel diplomacy has its limits. For a multi-ethnic, multi-religious state like Nigeria, unity cannot be enforced by decree.

It must be negotiated through shared prosperity, fairness, and mutual respect. A New Nigeria is Possible.

End

By Abdul-Ganiyy Akanbi

Legal practitioner and Chief Operating Officer of UBIIJUS Intelligence, Dr. Blessing Agbomhere, has criticised social media activist, Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, VDM, over calls for protests against insecurity, describing the move as capable of undermining national stability.

In a statement personally signed and released weekend, Agbomhere said Nigeria’s security challenges require unity, patriotism, and citizen cooperation with security agencies, not street protests or anti-government rhetoric.

He accused the activist of promoting narratives that could erode public confidence in government institutions at a critical time.

“It deeply upsets me seeing some gullible, unpatriotic and ill-wishing Nigerians, both at home and abroad, celebrating VeryDarkMan, an individual whose stock-in-trade is insulting people online and ridiculing a nation grappling with complex security challenges.

“Calling for protests against insecurity or against the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not patriotism; it is an act capable of encouraging disorder and undermining national stability,” Agbomhere stated.

The lawyer argued that insecurity is driven by multiple factors including weak law enforcement, poverty, unemployment, poor education, communal conflicts, drug abuse, greed, and the pursuit of quick wealth, adding that addressing these issues requires collective effort rather than political agitation.

According to the author of “Nigeria’s National Security Challenges”, the solution lies in strengthening cooperation between citizens and security agencies through credible intelligence and community vigilance.

Agbomhere commended the Nigerian Army, Navy, Air Force, Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services, DSS, Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA, Special Adviser on Homeland Security, Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, and other emergency institutions.

“While significant challenges remain, Nigerians must acknowledge the dedication and sacrifices of the men and women who put their lives on the line daily in service to our nation. Their efforts deserve not only recognition but also the active support and cooperation of citizens,” he said.

He maintained that security cannot be left solely to government, noting that “no security architecture, regardless of its sophistication, can succeed without public support.”

“Given the size of our country and the complexity of modern security threats, citizens must remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities within their communities. Timely intelligence from members of the public remains one of the most effective tools for preventing crime,” he said.

Drawing comparisons with the United Kingdom and the United States, Agbomhere said citizens in advanced democracies often serve as the first line of defence through vigilance and cooperation with law enforcement.

The lawyer alleged that some political actors were seeking to exploit insecurity as a platform for partisan interests ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning that inflammatory rhetoric and attempts to mobilise public anger against constituted authority could heighten tensions across the country.

While acknowledging Nigerians’ constitutional right to freedom of expression, Agbomhere stressed that such rights “must be exercised responsibly and in a manner that promotes peace, unity and national development.”

He urged public office holders, security personnel, and law enforcement agencies to remain steadfast in preventing crime and ensuring offenders face justice.

Agbomhere also called on Nigerians not to lose faith in the country’s institutions, saying the fight against insecurity requires patience, resilience, and sustained collaboration.

“Nigeria will overcome its current security challenges if citizens, communities and government institutions work together in the national interest. This is a time for unity, patriotism and collective action, not division. Together, we can build a safer and more secure nation for all,” he concluded.

By Our Correspondent

Unhappy with the conduct Osun State Commissioner of Police,Members of the National Assembly and House of Assembly of the Accord Party in Osun State have called for the immediate redeployment of the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Ibrahim Gothan, citing partisanship and bias ahead of the August 15 governorship election.

The lawmakers, under the Accord National and State Assembly Caucus, comprising seven National Assembly members and 25 state legislators, made the demand during a press conference held in Osogbo on Friday.

Addressing newsmen on behalf of the lawmakers in Osogbo on Friday, the Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Olumide Egbedun, alleged that the continued posting of the CP in the state could compromise the credibility and integrity of the governorship poll.

According to him, “On the account of the foregoing, we hereby call on the Inspector General of Police, Mr Olatunji Disu to immediately redeploy the Osun State Commissioner of Police, Mr Ibrahim Gothan who has shown himself partisan, highly compromised and incapable of providing effective security support for the people of Osun State.

“We call for the immediate arrest and prosecution of persons linked with the various crimes perpetrated against members and supporters of the Accord in various parts of Osun state especially in the last 3 months.

“Only a few weeks ago, Mr Kolade Eluyera, an Accord member in Irewole Local Government Area, was brutally murdered.

Similarly, on June 3, 2026, the Chairman of Accord in Osogbo Local Government, Hon Asimiyu Ajibola, was shot multiple times by armed assailants and remains hospitalized while battling for his life.

“The only crime of those who were most recently shot by the APC thugs in Ile-Ife, Owode-Ede and Osogbo was that they wore branded caps of the Accord.

“Unfortunately, these incidents form part of a growing pattern of violence that has generated fear and anxiety among citizens across the state.
“Regrettably, the Police in Osun state appears a willing accomplice in the execution of the unlawful plans which have begun to unfold.

“We find it difficult to understand how crimes committed in broad daylight, in branded vehicles, caught on tapes would not be tracked and perpetrators arrested 72 hours after those shootings.

“The apparent inability to identify, apprehend, and prosecute perpetrators has emboldened criminal elements and increased public concerns regarding the safety of lives and property in Osun State.

“We wish to put it on record that since his assumption of office on the 11th of May, 2025, the state Commissioner of Police has not deemed it fit to attend the state Security Council meeting more than twice! On all other occasions, he either sent some retired personnel or persons junior to other service commanders to represent him.

“The orchestrated attempt of the CP to incapacitate the Amotekun Corps is another clear danger to the security of our people in Osun State, especially now that cases of kidnapping and banditry are on the rise in different parts of the country.

“While hundreds of Accord party campaign billboards were vandalised by known miscreants without a single arrest, the Commissioner of Police was busy trying to stop the holding of campaign by our party men in parts of the State.

“The Police Commissioner, from all indications, has become an accomplice to the plans to turn our state upside down and hand our democratic institutions to hijackers and state captors. This is clearly unexpected, unacceptable, and very unfortunate.”