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In a powerful statement highlighting the urgent need for effective leadership in Nigeria, Mr. Peter Obi, the 2023 Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party and former Governor of Anambra State, has called on Nigerians to prioritize leadership qualities that ensure national progress. According to Obi, leadership is the bedrock of any nation’s success or failure, and those in power must embody the four Cs: Competence, Capacity, Character, and Compassion.

Obi emphasized that leadership cannot be hidden; it is either succeeding or failing. He stated, “Leadership of a nation is such that it’s either succeeding or failing, none can be hidden. There are critical areas of leadership that must exist for a nation to move forward, and these are summed up in four Cs: Competence, Capacity, Character, and Compassion. Where these four are non-existent, there is no magic you can do.”

He strongly advocated for a shift away from voting based on tribal or religious affiliations. Obi said, “We must move away from voting based on tribe and religion, and begin to vote for people with competence, capacity, character, and compassion, because we have all seen, painfully, what leadership without these qualities has done to our country.”

The former Governor outlined why each of these qualities is indispensable. He argued that Nigeria today needs a leader who possesses competence—someone who understands the nation’s challenges and has the knowledge, experience, and clear ideas to address them. “Competence because Nigeria today needs a leader who understands the issues, who has the knowledge, experience, and clear ideas to solve them,” he said.

Obi also stressed the importance of capacity, noting that leadership requires strength, stamina, and mental energy to tackle Nigeria’s complex challenges. “Capacity because it is not a ceremonial position; it requires strength, stamina, and the mental energy to confront our complex challenges,” he added.

Integrity and character were highlighted as the cornerstones of effective leadership. Without these, Obi warned that public trust collapses, corruption thrives, and selfishness prevails. He said, “Leadership must be rooted in character and integrity because without integrity, public trust collapses, corruption thrives, and selfishness takes over.”

Above all, Obi underscored the necessity of compassion in leadership. He decried the current state of affairs in Nigeria, citing the lack of empathy and action from the nation’s leadership in the face of tragic events. Referring to the recent flooding in Niger State that claimed nearly 200 lives and the massacre of over 200 Nigerians in Benue State, Obi lamented that not a single presidential visit or gesture of national mourning had taken place. “Sadly, the evidence is right before our eyes. Recently, we witnessed severe flooding in Niger State that claimed nearly 200 lives, with many still missing. Yet, not even a single presidential visit, this, in a nation where the scene of the tragedy is less than an hour away by helicopter.”

He also compared Nigeria’s leadership to that of other nations, citing India and South Africa as examples of leaders who demonstrate empathy and accountability. “In India, after a plane crash killed nearly 200 people, the Prime Minister was physically at the scene within hours. In South Africa, when floods claimed 78 lives, the president went personally to the affected communities, stood with them, and took responsibility. That is leadership with compassion. That is leadership that understands the value of human life,” Obi noted.

He concluded his statement by reiterating the need for leaders who possess the four essential qualities: “Nigeria does not just need another president; Nigeria needs a leader, a leader with competence, capacity, character, and compassion. Until we choose leaders on these principles, the cycle of pain will only continue.”

Obi’s statement ends on a hopeful note, urging Nigerians to believe in the possibility of a better future, “A New Nigeria is POssible.”

This post has already been read at least 1193 times!