The 2027 presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has said he has personally experienced ethnic stereotyping and labelling due to his Igbo background, adding that such treatment is unfair and harmful to national unity.
Obi made the remarks in a post on X, where he condemned what he described as the growing tendency to associate criminal behaviour with specific ethnic groups in Nigeria.
According to him, his personal experience of being judged based on ethnicity reflects a broader national issue that affects many Nigerians, regardless of their background.
The former Anambra State governor said he also empathises with ordinary Fulani people, who are often wrongly linked to crimes committed by individuals they neither know nor support.
He stressed that criminality should be judged strictly on individual actions rather than ethnic identity, insisting that wrongdoing must never be generalized to entire communities.
“Every Nigerian ethnic group has its strengths and contributions,” he said, arguing that crime has no ethnic label and offenders should be identified and punished based on their actions alone.
Obi drew comparisons with global civil rights struggles, referencing Martin Luther King Jr.’s call for people to be judged by the content of their character rather than race.
He warned against ethnic profiling in media narratives and public discourse, noting that such practices deepen divisions and weaken national cohesion.
In his post, he wrote in part that he has endured stereotypes “solely based on ethnic origins,” adding that many Nigerians have also been reduced to ethnic labels instead of being seen as individuals.
He further stated that criminals are not representatives of any ethnic group, but “bad actors” who should face justice under the law, regardless of background.
Obi called on Nigerians to reject ethnic generalisations and embrace unity, mutual respect, and a stronger sense of national identity.