Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has urged Nigerians to hold President Bola Ahmed Tinubu accountable for his campaign promises on electricity following yet another collapse of the national grid.
Obi made the call in a statement shared on his verified X (formerly Twitter) handle on Wednesday, reacting to reports that the national grid has collapsed twice already in January 2026, even though the year is still in its early days.
Obi Recalls Tinubu’s 2022 Power Promise
The former Anambra State governor reminded Nigerians of President Tinubu’s own words during the 2022 campaign, where he openly tied his political future to stable electricity supply.
“If I do not provide steady electricity in my first four years, do not vote for me for a second term.”
According to Obi, the current situation directly contradicts that pledge, noting that the national grid reportedly collapsed about 12 times in 2025 alone.
“Yet, in January 2026 alone, the national grid has already collapsed twice, and the month is not even over. This reality sharply contradicts the promise and should worry every patriotic Nigerian,” Obi stated.
Obi Slams Tinubu’s Foreign Trips
Peter Obi also criticised President Tinubu’s frequent foreign travels, pointing out that the president is currently in Turkey, a country with a population of about 87 million people, roughly one-third of Nigeria’s population.
He highlighted what he described as a painful contrast, stating that Turkey generates and distributes over 120,000 megawatts of electricity, while Nigeria struggles with less than five percent of that capacity.
“Focus on Nigeria’s Problems”
According to Obi, Nigeria’s leadership should be more focused on urgent domestic challenges, rather than constant overseas trips, warning that many critical national issues remain unattended.
He concluded by calling on Nigerians to shift their attention from the next election to demanding accountability, responsible leadership, and good governance, stressing that these are key to reducing the hardship currently faced by citizens.
As power outages persist nationwide, Obi’s remarks have once again reignited debates around leadership, governance, and Nigeria’s long-standing electricity crisis.
