A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bashir Ahmad, has defended the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, against attempts to link him to the 1966 military coup.
Ahmad, a former presidential spokesperson, said Obi should not be blamed for the events surrounding the coup because he was not involved and was only a child when it occurred.
The APC chieftain made the remarks on Thursday while reacting to an interview granted by Obi to Arise Television.
During the interview, Obi was asked how he would respond to people in Northern Nigeria who still associated the Igbo with the killing of Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto, during the 1966 coup.
The interviewer specifically asked how Obi would convince someone in Sokoto who continued to hold the incident against the Igbo to support his presidential bid more than six decades later.
In response, the former Anambra State governor said he could not be held responsible for the coup because he was barely four years old when it occurred.
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Reacting to the interview in a post on his official X account, Ahmad said individuals should not be judged based on the actions of people with whom they share an identity or background.
“Nobody should be judged or held responsible for the wrongdoings of others,” Ahmad said.
He argued that Obi should not be held responsible for the 1966 coup simply because of his ethnic background, stressing that the same principle should apply to everyone.
“We must learn to judge people by their own actions, not by the actions of others,” the former presidential spokesperson added.
The comments come amid renewed political discussions about ethnic identity, historical grievances and national unity as political parties and presidential candidates intensify preparations for the 2027 general elections.
Ahmad’s intervention also highlights the continuing sensitivity surrounding the 1966 coup and its historical impact on relations among Nigeria’s ethnic and regional groups.