What I Did After Young Girl Asked Me Why I Don’t Keep My Promises – Peter Obi

Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi has shared an experience from his time as a state governor, where a young schoolgirl openly questioned him during a public engagement about promises he made and did not fulfill.

Naija News reports that during an interview with Advocacy For Good Governance, the former Anambra Governor explained that the moment happened during an interactive town hall meeting meant to connect government officials with members of the public.

The session was meant to encourage open discussion, but it took a different turn when a student from a junior secondary school was allowed to speak.

Obi said the girl stood up and directly asked why he made promises that were not kept.

The former Labour Party presidential candidate noted that the question changed the mood of the gathering, as many people became silent and paid closer attention to the issue she raised.

He explained that instead of ignoring the complaint, he looked into it to understand what she was referring to.

The inquiry showed that there had been a promise to carry out some repairs and improvements in her school, but it had not been completed at the time.

Obi said: “I was at a town hall meeting when a young girl raised her hand to speak. I called on her to ask her question in front of everyone. She looked at me and asked why I make promises that I don’t keep. The question changed the mood in the room and everyone became silent. I decided to look into what she was talking about instead of ignoring it.

“I found out there was a promise made about repairs and improvements in her school that had not been done. I immediately asked that steps be taken to fix the issue. That moment stayed with me because it showed how closely citizens, even children, watch leaders.

“Leaders must be ready to accept correction no matter who it comes from. Accountability means making sure promises to the people are carried out. If leaders stay close to the people, they will understand the real problems better. Trust in government grows when leaders do what they say they will do.”