By BONIFACE AKARAH

The Presidential Candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has said that he would adopt dialogue, inclusion and sacrifice to address agitations across Nigeria if elected president, insisting that national unity cannot be achieved through force alone.

Obi made the remarks during an interaction with Nigerians in Washington, United States, according to a statement issued by the Peter Obi Media Reach (POMR) and signed by its spokesman, Ibrahim Umar.

Speaking on how he would unite the country amid rising regional agitations and divisions, Obi said: "I will listen to all agitators, harmonise them and make some sacrifices with a view to bringing the country together."

POMR said the former Anambra State governor's comments represented "a significant shift from the conventional, iron-fisted approach to state security and national cohesion."

The media office noted that Obi's position had been misinterpreted by some individuals who singled out the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, to portray the comments through an ethnic lens.

"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," the statement said.

According to POMR, Obi believes that many agitations across Nigeria stem from unresolved socio-economic grievances rather than mere criminality.

"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," the statement noted.

It added that Obi's proposal recognises 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," POMR stated.

The organisation argued that sustainable peace could only be achieved through justice, inclusion and shared prosperity.

"True peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice," the statement said.

POMR further maintained that "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."

It added that Obi's approach would encourage structured dialogue, restore faith in democratic institutions and reassure all sections of the country that they have a stake in the Nigerian project.

"A New Nigeria is Possible," the statement concluded.