Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, has cautioned against the growing trend of linking criminal activities to ethnic groups, describing such narratives as divisive and harmful to national unity.
In a post shared on his verified X handle on Monday, Obi cautioned that Nigerians should resist the temptation to judge entire communities by the actions of a few criminals, stressing that crime has no ethnic identity.
He said, “As an Igbo man, I have endured stereotypes, judgment, and labelling solely based on my ethnic origins. This is not an isolated Igbo experience. Most Nigerians have, at some point, are reduced to their ethnicity rather than recognised for their true character.”
Obi also said that many Fulani people now face similar bias due to the actions of criminal individuals who do not represent their communities.
He said, “I understand the pain of the ordinary Fulani man today, often unfairly judged by the actions of criminals he does not support, has never met, and who are not representative of his people.”
Drawing a direct parallel to the historic civil rights movement in the United States, Peter Obi invoked the enduring legacy of iconic activist Martin Luther King Jr. Specifically, Obi recalled King’s foundational message that society must judge individuals strictly by the content of their character, rather than the nature of their background.
He added, “Even in America, such unjust labelling fuelled the civil rights movement and prompted Martin Luther King Jr. to declare that people should be judged by the content of their character, not the colour of their skin.”
Although, the former Anambra State governor said Nigeria’s ethnic groups each have unique cultures, skills, and contributions, he however insisted that no tribe should be linked to criminality.
