The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, 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 issued on his verified X handle on Monday, Obi said Nigerians should resist the temptation to judge entire communities by the actions of a few criminals, stressing that crime has no ethnic identity.
“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, been reduced to their ethnicity rather than recognised for their true character,” he said.
Obi noted that many Fulani people are currently facing similar prejudices because of the actions of criminal elements who do not represent their communities.
“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,” he added.
Drawing parallels with the struggle for civil rights in the United States, Obi recalled the message of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., who advocated judging individuals by their character rather than their background.
“Even in America, such unjust labelling fueled 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,” he said.
