Peter Obi: Leadership Must Be Measured by Impact on Nigerians’ Lives

The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Peter Obi, has called for a style of leadership that can be judged by the real improvements it brings to the lives of citizens.

Obi made the call during an empowerment programme organised by the member representing Awka North and South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Lilian Orogbu.

The former Anambra State governor, who attended the event as the special guest of honour, praised Orogbu for what he described as people-focused representation and efforts to support residents of her constituency.

More than 500 constituents benefited from the programme, receiving items including cars, shuttle buses, tricycles, motorcycles, sewing machines, grinding machines, deep freezers and generating sets.

Some students also received scholarships as part of the programme aimed at helping young people access education and supporting families across the constituency.

Obi said such interventions could help residents improve their livelihoods, create sources of income and reduce poverty when properly managed.

He expressed concern about the level of unemployment in Nigeria, as well as difficulties affecting the education and healthcare sectors. He also pointed to insecurity and economic hardship as major issues facing citizens.

According to him, many of the challenges confronting the country are linked to poor governance and the improper management of public resources.

Obi said Nigeria needs leaders who are competent, accountable and focused on using public resources to improve the lives of ordinary people. He maintained that effective leadership could help tackle hunger, unemployment, insecurity and economic difficulties.

The NDC presidential candidate also called for a credible 2027 general election, urging Nigerians to reject electoral malpractice and support a political process based on fairness, justice and equal treatment.

Orogbu said the empowerment programme was organised to appreciate her constituents, supporters and volunteers who contributed to her campaign during the 2023 general elections.

She said more than 36,000 people voted for her during the election, while over 5,000 supporters were actively involved in her campaign activities.

The lawmaker explained that the number of people who needed support made it impossible to include everyone in one phase of the programme. She disclosed that another empowerment exercise had been planned for November 2026.

Orogbu urged the beneficiaries to use the items they received for productive purposes. She said the programme was designed to go beyond immediate assistance by helping people start businesses, create jobs and improve the economic condition of families.

She added that sustained empowerment programmes could help tackle youth unemployment, reduce poverty and promote economic growth at the grassroots.

The Anambra State Chairman of the NDC, Ikem Uzoezie, also congratulated Orogbu for using constituency representation to pursue projects and fulfil some of her campaign promises.

He called on residents to continue supporting the party, saying stronger political support could bring more development initiatives and improve the welfare of people in the area.

The Senator representing Anambra Central, Victor Umeh, described Orogbu as an active representative who had worked on several constituency projects.

Umeh mentioned her involvement in scholarships, infrastructure projects and empowerment programmes, saying the initiatives had provided support to people within Awka North and South Federal Constituency.

He also praised her contributions in the House of Representatives and urged constituents to support her bid for another term.

Umeh said retaining Orogbu in the House could give her the opportunity to become a ranking member and strengthen her ability to attract more development projects to the constituency.