Humility not campaign strategy, Peter Obi defends serving food at public event

Obi at the event

The Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, has responded to social media reactions surrounding his participation in a recent charity event in Imo State, where he was seen serving food to underprivileged citizens.

The event, tagged “Jubilee of Hope,” held last week, has stirred conversations online after photos and videos of Obi personally serving meals to attendees surfaced.

Critics suggested the act was politically motivated, while others hailed it as a gesture of humility.

However, Obi, in a statement on Sunday via his X handle, dismissed the controversy, saying the event was not about publicity but about rekindling the spirit of compassion and service in leadership.

“Let me be clear, that event was not about me. It was called the Jubilee of Hope, and 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,” Obi said.

He noted that the event was private, and he had not invited the press or publicised his attendance, but that some third parties independently shared photos and videos online.

“As expected, the usual naysayers and paid agents went to work trying to twist something sincere into something political,” he said.

Obi added that the Jubilee of Hope was meant to symbolise a society rooted in “empathy, equity, and responsibility,” where elites momentarily step down from privilege to serve the less fortunate. Punch