The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has urged Nigerians to put past grievances and historical conflicts behind them and focus on building a united country.

Obi spoke on Thursday during an interview on Arise Television’s Morning Show, where he was questioned about the 1966 military coup and its lasting impact on Nigeria’s political history.

The coup, led by Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu and other young military officers, claimed the lives of several political and military leaders, particularly in Northern Nigeria.

Responding to questions about the event and whether it should influence present-day political considerations, Obi said he should not be held responsible for an incident that occurred when he was only a young child.

“You cannot hold what happened when I was barely three, four years against me. That’s in the past now,” Obi said.

He called on Nigerians to build the future on love and unity rather than hatred and divisions rooted in historical events.

“But we must build the future based on love, not on hatred. So it is time to show love. It is time to show unity.

“That’s why my presidency is about unity of the country, and it’s important that people understand that,” he said.