Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has questioned President Bola Tinubu over his campaign promise to deliver steady electricity, following another collapse of Nigeria’s national grid in January 2026.
In a statement posted on his verified X account on Wednesday, Obi recalled Tinubu’s 2022 campaign pledge that if he failed to provide stable power in his first four years in office, Nigerians should not vote for him for a second term. He said the recent power failures clearly contradict that promise and should concern all Nigerians.
Obi noted that the national grid had already collapsed twice in January 2026, even before the end of the month, and about twelve times in 2025. He described the frequent collapses as a sign of deep problems in the power sector, despite repeated assurances from the government.
He also criticised President Tinubu’s frequent foreign trips, pointing out that the president was in Turkey while Nigerians were dealing with widespread blackouts. Obi compared both countries, saying Turkey, with about 87 million people, generates and distributes over 120,000 megawatts of electricity, while Nigeria produces less than five per cent of that capacity. He called this contrast striking and painful for Nigerians who continue to live with unstable power supply.
Obi urged the president to remain in the country and focus on solving urgent domestic problems, especially power, instead of travelling abroad. He warned that at this rate, Nigerians might soon be hearing of trips to very small countries while key national issues remain unattended.
He further criticised what he described as an excessive focus on the 2027 elections instead of good governance. According to him, leaders and citizens should be more concerned about fixing the economy, improving public services, and reducing hardship than about the next election cycle.
Obi called on Nigerians to demand greater accountability and responsible leadership from those in power. He said citizens should unite to insist on better governance and to end the suffering caused by persistent policy failures and poor management of critical sectors like electricity.