The Job Of A Leader Is Not Complain Or To Remind People Of How Difficult Things Are – Peter Obi

The Labour Party’s presidential candidate in Nigeria’s 2023 election, Peter Obi, has urged elected officials to focus on delivering results rather than shifting blame or making excuses.

He emphasized that leadership requires effectiveness and accountability, not complaints about predecessors’ failures.

Obi expressed these views during an appearance on The Honest Bunch Podcast, released Monday.

He criticized the tendency of some leaders to evade responsibility by blaming those who came before them. According to Obi, this approach undermines genuine leadership and progress.

The former Anambra State governor also discussed the proper use of borrowed funds, highlighting that loans should contribute tangible value to the country.

Citing Singapore as an example, Obi noted that despite its significant debt—exceeding 120% of its GDP—Singapore mandates that borrowed money be invested in projects with long-term benefits.

He pointed out that Singapore is currently constructing an underwater port set to operate by 2050, a project driven by careful planning and future-oriented thinking.

Obi said, “Singapore is owing almost a hundred and twenty something of their GDP to debts, but Singapore has a law; all borrowed money must be used for investments.

“For example, Singapore today is building a port that might start functioning in 2050 because they found out they are very small, they have the land and one of the busiest ports, but in order to expand that port, they are now building the first port under the sea which is going to cost billions.

“These are the things people are doing but in our case, borrowing money and telling stories, when being asked the next thing they are going on holidays or start giving excuses, oh everybody before me spoiled everything.

“We didn’t hire you to remind us of our pasts. If it was good, we wouldn’t hire you. We hired you to move us forward not to remind us of where we are coming from because we know it’s not good that is why we hired you.

“You came for the interview, it’s not as if we appointed you. You said I will do this.

“The job of a leader is not complain or to remind people of how difficult things are but to find solution to it.”