Peter Obi Knocks Tinubu Over Repeated National Grid Collapses, Cites Broken Power Promise
Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has criticised President Bola Tinubu over the recurring collapse of Nigeria’s national electricity grid, describing the situation as a clear contradiction of the President’s 2022 campaign promise on power supply.
In a statement posted on his official X (formerly Twitter) account on Wednesday, Obi recalled Tinubu’s widely quoted pledge that Nigerians should deny him a second term if he failed to deliver steady electricity within his first four years in office.
“President Bola Tinubu’s campaign promise in 2022 was clear: If I do not provide steady electricity in my first four years, do not vote for me for a second term,” Obi said. “Yet, in January 2026 alone, the national grid has already collapsed twice, and the month is not even over. Last year, it reportedly collapsed about twelve times.”
He warned that the recurring system failures, which have triggered widespread blackouts across the country, should concern all Nigerians, describing the situation as a stark departure from the commitments made during the electioneering period.
According to reports, the national grid suffered another collapse on Tuesday, marking the second system failure within four days in January 2026. Power generation reportedly plunged sharply, leaving several parts of the country without electricity.
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Obi also drew attention to President Tinubu’s ongoing foreign trip to Turkey, contrasting Nigeria’s electricity struggles with Turkey’s power generation capacity. He noted that Turkey, with a population of about 87 million people—roughly one-third of Nigeria’s—generates and distributes over 120,000 megawatts of electricity, while Nigeria continues to struggle with less than 5 per cent of that output.
“The contrast is both striking and painful,” Obi said, urging the President to remain in the country and confront pressing national challenges rather than embarking on frequent foreign trips.
“Our appeal is simple: stay at home and confront the nation’s problems. At this rate, we may soon hear of trips to Palau or Vanuatu while critical issues remain unattended at home,” he added.
The former Anambra State governor further called on Nigerians to prioritise accountability and good governance over political calculations about future elections.
“We should be joining hands to demand responsible leadership and save Nigerians from the indignity and suffering caused by persistent bad governance,” Obi stated.