Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, has responded to viral photos and videos showing him serving food at a private charity event in Imo State, describing the act as a sincere gesture of humility and service, not a political performance.
Obi in a post on Sunday via his official X handle, said his participation at the Jubilee of Hope outreach was in line with his lifelong belief that true leadership is rooted in service, empathy, and responsibility, especially towards the poor and vulnerable.
“My weekend activity of serving food at a special event has been generating interest, as expectedly, because leaders in our society have removed the service component in leadership,” Obi wrote.
“It’s sounding strange that I was seen serving food to people. Let me be clear, that event was not about me. It was called the Jubilee of Hope, and its purpose is straightforward, to remind us all that true leadership is service, and that those who have must never forget those who do not.”
The former Anambra governor noted that he neither invited the media nor posted any content from the event himself, blaming the ensuing controversy on “paid agents” trying to politicize an honest act of compassion.
“As expected, the usual naysayers and paid agents went to work trying to twist something sincere into something political,” he wrote.
Obi clarified that the Jubilee of Hope was not about optics but a deliberate effort to bridge the divide between privilege and poverty—a reminder that dignity should be a universal right, not a luxury.
“But let me restate the heart of the matter, the Jubilee of Hope is designed for the rich to come down from their high places, even if just for a moment, and serve the poor, not as a show, but as a symbol of the society we must build. A society anchored on empathy, equity, and responsibility,” he said.
Obi added that he was not the only one who served food at the event. Cardinal John Onaiyekan, Senator Osita Izunaso, and Dr. A.B.C. Orjiako, among other prominent Nigerians, were also present and took part in serving.
“It wasn’t about the cameras; it was about conscience,” Obi emphasized.
The LP leader said this was not a new experience for him, recalling how he often served guests personally as governor and still does so in his private life today.
“Even now, in private life, I do not have a house help. When guests visit my home, I serve them myself. I live simply, I sweep, I clean, because for me, humility is not a campaign strategy; it is a way of life,” he wrote.
Obi explained that he stayed longer at the event because many poor attendees requested to be served directly by him—a gesture he felt compelled to honor.
“That was the only reason. Otherwise, there was nothing special about what I did. Service is not special, it is expected,” he said.
Reiterating his vision for a New Nigeria, Obi urged both public and private sector leaders to embrace a culture of compassion that transcends symbolic events.
“We cannot speak of building a New Nigeria while ignoring the hungry, the forgotten, and the poor. Events like this must not remain symbolic, they must become cultural,” he said.
“Let us work together to build a country where hope is not seasonal, and dignity is not a privilege, but a right.”
