Leadership is not measured by prolonged rule – Peter Obi replies critics
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Peter Obi, the former Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 General Elections, has said that great leadership is not measured by length of years in office but by the quality and impact of services offered to the people.
Obi said this on Sunday in Awka in a statement issued to journalists.
The former Anambra governor said that if elected the president of the nation, that his longstanding pledge to serve only one term of four years would be eventful.
Obi declared that the vow was “sacrosanct,” reiterating his commitment to purposeful leadership over prolonged rule.
He cited global figures such as Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, and Nelson Mandela, who proved the possibility of great leadership in a single tenure.
Obi noted that great leadership was not measured by the number of years in office, but by the quality and impact of service.
“Mandela served one term and walked away. That was leadership.
“Power must serve the people, not the self.” he said.
Obi acknowledged the widespread scepticism among Nigerians towards political promises, noting that public trust had eroded over decades of unfulfilled pledges.
“I am fully aware that the decay in our society has made trust one of the scarcest and most sceptically viewed commodities,” he said.
Obi addressed recent jibes aimed at his vow, as some critics suggested that even a shrine-bound oath would not earn him public belief.
While another implied that anyone insisting on a single term should undergo psychiatric evaluation which Obi dismissed both remarks.
He stated that such cynicism reflected a political culture where broken promises were the norm.
“They judge me by their own standards, “but Peter Obi is not cut out from that cloth,” Obi maintained.
He noted that his political record in Anambra State, showed that he fulfilled his campaign promises on education, healthcare, rural infrastructure, and financial prudence.
“I did not swear by a shrine, nor have I been certified mentally unstable as a result of honouring my word.
“I maintain without equivocation: if elected, I will not spend a day longer than four years in office,” Obi declared.
According to him, 48 months is enough for any leader who is focused and prepared to make a meaningful difference.
Obi outlined his priority areas as president to include rebuilding trust in public institutions, tackling insecurity through the efficient deployment of national resources, revamping the education and healthcare sectors.
He said that his interest in catalysing small businesses to drive economic productivity, and combating corruption with unwavering resolve remained unbeatable.
The former Anambra governor stated that his goal was to transform Nigeria from “a consuming nation into a productive one,” anchored on agriculture, technology, and manufacturing.
“Service should be impactful, not eternal,” noting that the challenges facing Nigeria demanded urgency, not tenure elongation.
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