Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has responded to a viral video showing him serving food at an event, saying the act reflects his core values of humility and service, not a political stunt as some have claimed.
“I am genuinely surprised that this simple act has become a topic of discussion,” Obi wrote in a post on his X handle early Sunday. “As Governor, I always served others during events. Even now, I have no house help. I serve my guests myself. I live simply—I sweep, I clean—because for me, humility is not a campaign strategy; it is a way of life.”
The video, taken during the Jubilee of Hope event in Owerri, Imo State, went viral last week, prompting mixed reactions. Critics accused the 2023 presidential candidate of staging the moment for political gain.
Obi, however, clarified that the event was a private charity gathering and that he neither posted about it nor invited the media. “Some third parties, completely outside of my team, shared photos and videos. As expected, the usual naysayers and paid agents went to work trying to twist something sincere into something political,” he said.
He noted that he was not the only prominent figure serving food at the event, naming Cardinal Onaiyekan, Senator Osita Izunaso, and former Seplat Chairman Dr. A.B.C. Orjiako among others who participated “quietly and sincerely.”
“At the Jubilee of Hope, I stayed longer because many of the poor attendees asked me to serve them personally. I could not ignore them,” Obi explained. “There was nothing special about what I did. Service is not special—it is expected.”
Obi concluded by stressing that true leadership is about serving others and urged public figures and citizens alike to make service a cultural norm. “We cannot talk about building a New Nigeria while ignoring the hungry and forgotten,” he said.
