Peter Obi urges leadership reform after US trip

Peter Obi urges leadership reform after US trip

Abdullateef Fowewe

Former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has shared reflections on leadership and public conduct following a three-day trip to the United States, covering Washington, Chicago and a stopover in Atlanta.

In a statement shared on X, Obi recounted his journey with Delta Airlines, which landed at Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport — the world’s busiest, handling over 100 million passengers annually and generating $32 billion for Atlanta and $70 billion for Georgia.

During the visit, Obi met with Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, a former businessman with an estimated net worth of $10 million, who manages the same city’s $3 billion budget.

Dickens’ priorities include public safety, crime reduction, youth empowerment, and ensuring a $15 hourly minimum wage for council workers.

Obi emphasised the mayor’s modest approach to governance, noting how Dickens travelled to Washington without aides or special privileges.

He contrasted this with Nigerian officials who oversee far smaller budgets yet demand large entourages and public fanfare.

Calling for a shift in Nigeria’s leadership culture, Obi stressed the need for humility and accountability in public service, stressing, “A New Nigeria is possible.”