The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi has called on all Nigerians and leaders across the country to prioritise improving the standard of living of citizens over elaborate funerals for victims of mishaps and all forms of criminality.
In his New Year message to Nigerians, the former governor of Anambra State said 2026 should stand as a symbol of a genuine new beginning for Nigeria.
Also stating that the new year should serve as a time for sober reflection and determination, Obi said it is important that the nation’s democracy is taken seriously.
In a post made on X on Thursday, January 1, Obi said, with the new year leaders and citizens alike must show commitment to unity, justice, accountability, compassion, and the rule of law.
“Let it signal the start of a true rebirth for Nigeria, a year when we gather the courage to confront our shortcomings honestly and begin to build a broad national consensus based on integrity, fairness, and shared sacrifice.
“We call on those in positions of authority to rediscover the sacred duty of truth-telling—about their backgrounds, intentions, policies, actions, and even their health. Leadership thrives on trust, and trust is only possible with honesty,” Obi said.
He also noted that he hopes the New Year becomes one in which public office is seen as a solemn call to service rather than a platform for personal enrichment and where public resources are managed with transparency, discipline, and a deep sense of responsibility to both current and future generations.
“May this New Year also be a time for compassion and sacrifice, where we consciously put the needs of the poor, the weak, and the forgotten at the centre of our national conscience. A nation is not defined by the grandeur of its celebrations but by the dignity of life it offers its citizens.
“Therefore, let us prioritise a better standard of living over elaborate funerals; let us invest more in hospitals than in hearses, more in schools than in slogans, and more in jobs and productivity than in extravagance and waste.
“Above all, may this year renew our collective resolve to create a Nigeria that truly works for all— just in its laws, productive in its economy, united in its diversity, and humane in its treatment of every citizen,” the former governor noted.
