Former Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has urged Nigerians to embrace unity, truth, sacrifice, and national renewal as the country enters the New Year, calling for a more serious commitment to democracy and good governance.

In a New Year message on Thursday, Obi said the new year should represent a genuine fresh start for Nigeria, stressing that democracy must go beyond periodic elections and become a daily practice rooted in justice, accountability, compassion, and the rule of law.

According to him, Nigeria must use the moment to confront its shortcomings honestly and begin the process of building a broad national consensus based on integrity, fairness, and shared sacrifice.

Obi also called on those in positions of authority to recommit themselves to truth-telling, urging leaders to be open about their backgrounds, intentions, policies, actions, and health status. He noted that leadership thrives on trust, which can only exist where there is honesty.

He further emphasised that public office should be regarded as a solemn call to service rather than an avenue for personal enrichment, adding that public resources must be managed with transparency, discipline, and responsibility to both present and future generations.

Obi appealed for compassion toward the most vulnerable members of society, urging Nigerians to place the poor, weak, and forgotten at the centre of national priorities. He argued that a nation should be judged not by the grandeur of its ceremonies but by the dignity of life it offers its citizens.

Obi called for a shift in national values, advocating greater investment in healthcare, education, job creation, and productivity rather than excessive spending on ceremonies, slogans, and wasteful displays.

He concluded by expressing hope that the New Year would renew Nigeria’s collective resolve to build a country that works for all—just in its laws, productive in its economy, united in its diversity, and humane in its treatment of every citizen.