Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has visited the Anambra Correctional Centre in Amawbia, where he encouraged inmates to embrace education and acquire skills that would help them reintegrate successfully into society.

Obi told the inmates that imprisonment does not signify the end of a meaningful life. He urged them to see their time behind bars as an opportunity for personal reform, growth, and preparation to become responsible citizens who could contribute positively to national development.

“History shows that confinement does not always mark the end of a meaningful life,” Obi said. “Nelson Mandela, jailed for 27 years, emerged to lead South Africa and inspire the world; Malcolm X transformed himself in prison into one of the most influential voices of the civil rights movement; Martha Stewart, after serving a prison sentence, rebuilt her brand and returned to the heights of global business; and Frank Abagnale, once imprisoned for fraud, went on to work with the FBI and became a respected security consultant. These lives remind us that with reform, education, and opportunity, confinement can give way to contribution.”

The visit also highlighted Obi’s commitment to supporting the educational aspirations of inmates. Earlier, inmates across correctional centres in Anambra had reached out to Obi, requesting assistance to pay NECO examination fees. In response, Obi facilitated full payment of the fees for all eligible candidates, a total of ₦4,741,400, covering both exam fees and logistics across the four state correctional centres.

Obi’s initiative underscores the importance of rehabilitation, showing that even while incarcerated, individuals can pursue education, gain skills, and prepare for meaningful contributions to society upon release.