Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has renewed criticism of Nigeria’s persistent power crisis, recalling President Bola Tinubu’s 2022 campaign pledge to deliver stable electricity within four years or forfeit re-election. Obi said recent developments showed a widening gap between that promise and current realities.
In a post on his verified X account on Tuesday, Obi noted that the national power grid had already collapsed twice in January 2026, adding that it reportedly failed about 12 times in 2025. He described the repeated collapses as troubling and inconsistent with assurances made during the last election campaign.
Obi also questioned President Tinubu’s frequent foreign travels, including a recent visit to Turkey, drawing comparisons between the two countries’ power sectors. He observed that Turkey, with a population of about 87 million, generates over 120,000 megawatts of electricity, while Nigeria continues to struggle with a fraction of that output. “The contrast is striking and painful,” he said, arguing that the situation calls for sustained, hands-on leadership at home.
Beyond electricity, Obi warned that national focus was shifting prematurely toward electoral politics rather than governance. He urged Nigerians to demand accountability, saying persistent power failures, economic hardship and declining living standards reflected a broader failure of leadership.