Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress Peter Obi says he is prepared to negotiate with bandits and other violent groups, but only if they demonstrate a genuine willingness to renounce violence and embrace peace.

Speaking in a media interview with journalist Rufai Oseni, Obi was pressed on whether he would engage criminal elements if elected president. He responded that his priority would be national unity and security built on dialogue, justice and firm action where necessary.

“In uniting the country, anybody who wants peace, I will talk with him; I will negotiate with him. Anybody who wants war, we will go to war,” Obi said, stressing that his administration would distinguish between those ready to reform and those determined to continue on a violent path.

Obi argued that people who have erred in the past should be given a structured opportunity to change, provided they show clear commitment to peaceful coexistence and respect for the law. He framed this as both a moral and practical necessity in dealing with Nigeria’s complex security challenges.

To underscore his belief in rehabilitation, he recalled visiting a university in the United States where, according to him, many in the institution’s leadership had previously served prison terms but were successfully reintegrated into society.

“I once visited a university in America where the entire faculty are people who came out of prison. From the dean to the registrar, professors spent years in prison for one offence or another. So, if you say you want to change and be part of this new Nigeria we are talking about, we have reached a point where we have to tell ourselves the truth,” he said.

Obi maintained that his approach to governance would rest on inclusion, national cohesion and a deliberate effort to ensure that no ethnic group or region feels marginalised.

“I will unite the country and secure that nobody is left behind. No tribe is left behind; there would be inclusiveness. We will show love and care for everybody,” he stated, adding that a mix of dialogue, accountability and equitable development would guide his security and unity agenda.