Peter Obi urges President Tinubu to show compassion, slams jet purchase amid health crises.
He says true leadership requires sacrifice, not luxury, especially when citizens face hardship daily.
The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has called on President Bola Tinubu to demonstrate more empathy towards the Nigerian people.
Obi made the appeal during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, where he stated that the presidency is a role that demands selflessness and compassion not luxury or detachment. He criticized the current administration for being out of touch with the struggles of ordinary citizens.
“The office of the Nigerian president requires sacrifice and compassion, not detachment, luxury, or fear,” he said.
Obi expressed deep concern over the government’s spending priorities, arguing that extravagant expenses are unjustifiable in the face of national suffering. He specifically condemned reports of plans to purchase a presidential jet at a time when basic healthcare services remain in poor condition.
“If I become president, I will use resources effectively. I cannot say, ‘buy a new jet’,” he said.
“I don’t need one because I can go anywhere without a jet. I will not use N150 billion to buy a jet when 80 per cent of primary healthcare centres are not functioning.”
The former Anambra State governor said his own leadership style during his tenure was guided by modesty and accountability. He recalled his decision to avoid luxury vehicles while in office.
“I was a governor, and for my first four years, I drove 406. For the rest of it, I didn’t drive bulletproof cars,” he added.
Obi argued that fear of harm often stems from bad governance, insisting that leaders who serve their people with honesty and care have little to worry about.
“Nobody will try to kill you if you do the right thing. It is when you do the wrong thing that you fear death. If your people are dying, you should be ready to die. The president should also be ready to die,” he stated.
He also faulted President Tinubu’s response to major national tragedies in 2024. Referring to the stampede at a Christmas event in Ibadan that resulted in the death of several children, Obi criticized the president for failing to visit the affected families.
“There is no compassion; people lost their children who will lead this country in the future, and he went on a Christmas holiday,” Obi said.
He further pointed to the lack of federal response following attacks in Yelwata, Benue State, where suspected herdsmen displaced thousands of residents.
“People want to get up and see a president that cares, a president that shows compassion. Today we have a country without compassion. Leadership without compassion is a minus. It is not good for a country,” he concluded.
