Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, has explained that his decision to serve food at the Jubilee of Hope event in Imo State was not political theatre.
In a statement posted via X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, Obi said the public attention the gesture has attracted reveals how “strange” genuine service has become in Nigeria’s leadership culture.
“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. It’s sounding strange that I was seen serving food to people,” Obi wrote.
Obi said he attended the Jubilee of Hope, a private charity event, without media or publicity.
He noted that photos and videos were shared by third parties not connected to his team, which then sparked political commentary online.
“That event was not about me. 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,” he stated.
He added that the event’s aim was for the wealthy 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.”
Responding to critics who claim the gesture was a political stunt, Obi said serving others is second nature to him.
His words: “As Governor, I always served others whenever we had events. 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 explained that he stayed longer at the Imo event only because many of the attendees, mostly poor and vulnerable persons, specifically requested that he serve them personally.
“That was the only reason. Otherwise, there was nothing special about what I did. Service is not special, it is expected,” he said
Obi praised other participants at the event, including Cardinal John Onaiyekan, Senator Osita Izunaso, former Seplat chairman Dr A.B.C. Orjiako, and several other dignitaries, for their quiet and sincere service.
“We cannot speak of building a New Nigeria while ignoring the hungry, the forgotten, and the poor,” he said.