Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, says true leadership demands sacrifice, stressing that any Nigerian president must be willing to lay down their life if citizens are dying.
Speaking during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Obi criticised what he described as the Tinubu administration’s lack of empathy and prioritisation, arguing that compassion — not nonchalance — should define the presidency.
“If your people are dying, you should be ready to die. The president should also be ready to die,” Obi said.
“I will not use ₦150 billion to buy a new jet when 80% of primary healthcare centres are not functioning.”
The former Anambra State governor said that leadership is not about luxury, recalling his own time in office where he rejected extravagance in favour of service.
“For my first four years, I drove a Peugeot 406. I never used bulletproof cars. Nobody will try to kill you if you do the right thing — it’s when you do wrong that you fear death,” he added.
Obi also accused President Bola Tinubu of being unfeeling in the face of national tragedies, citing Tinubu’s decision to vacation in Lagos in December 2024 while families in Ibadan mourned children killed in a stampede at a Christmas party.
“There is no compassion. People lost their children — children who will lead this country — and he went on a Christmas holiday,” Obi said.
He further criticised Tinubu’s response to attacks in Benue State, alleging that despite visiting the state, the president failed to reach the hardest-hit community of Yelwata, where suspected herdsmen killed scores. Tinubu’s team had attributed his absence to poor road conditions and flooding.
Obi insisted that a leader’s duty is to serve with integrity and humility, and to be present in moments of national pain.
