Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has called on Nigerians to look beyond flashy campaign slogans and instead elect leaders with integrity and empathy—starting with the National Assembly in 2027.
Speaking at the public unveiling of “Obi: The Political Change Agent”, a new book by veteran journalist Ike Abonyi, Obi stressed the urgent need for a legislative overhaul. The event took place Tuesday in Abuja.
“Now we must focus on getting the right people into the National Assembly—people who will bring peace and purpose,” said the former Anambra State governor. “That’s what we failed to do last time.”
He warned against recycling career politicians who view public office as a route to wealth. “If your aim is to make money through politics, then you are part of Nigeria’s problem,” Obi declared.
A long-standing critic of the political status quo, Obi described Nigeria’s ruling class as indifferent to the country’s worsening crises. He insisted that the next election is not just another political contest—but a last chance to rescue a collapsing nation.
“2027 must be a turning point,” he said, promising that the Labour Party and its supporters will be more organized and vigilant than ever before. “This time, we’ll be everywhere. We’ll vote, and the votes will count. Those who were ignored before—we will count them now.”
Obi painted a grim picture of the current state of the nation, describing Nigeria as a “crime scene” plagued by insecurity, poverty, and internal displacement.
“People are being killed every day—nobody visits them, nobody says, ‘We’re sorry.’ Nigerians are refugees in Chad and Cameroon, yet we’re not officially at war,” he said, visibly moved. “The only explanation is that we have a government that does not care.”
He went on to liken Nigeria to the ill-fated Titanic, where passengers on the upper deck continued dancing as the ship sank beneath them.
“Today, those who are celebrating don’t realize the ship is sinking. But when it goes down, everyone—rich or poor—will go down with it,” Obi warned. “You won’t be able to carry anything when the crisis begins. Everyone ends up in the same refugee camps.”
The event drew a crowd of political figures, civil society leaders, and party loyalists, many of whom praised Obi for his unwavering push for accountability and reform.
The newly launched book, “Obi: The Political Change Agent”, chronicles his political journey, policy philosophy, and the 2023 election campaign that positioned him as a symbol of grassroots change.