By Peter Salami
Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, has launched a blistering attack on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over Nigeria’s persistent power failures, accusing him of falling far short of his own campaign promise on electricity supply.
In a strongly worded statement yesterday, Obi recalled Tinubu’s 2022 pledge to Nigerians that failure to deliver steady electricity within his first four years in office should automatically disqualify him from seeking a second term.
“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, stressing that current realities have blatantly contradicted that commitment.
He pointed out that the national grid has already collapsed twice in January 2026 alone, even before the month ended, adding that the grid reportedly failed about twelve times in 2025. According to Obi, the recurring system collapses should deeply worry every patriotic Nigerian.
The former Anambra State governor described the situation as a painful reminder of the widening gap between political promises and governance outcomes, noting that electricity remains a cornerstone of economic growth, industrialisation and national dignity.
Obi also criticised President Tinubu’s frequent foreign travels, citing the President’s ongoing visit to Türkiye as ill-timed, given Nigeria’s unresolved domestic crises.
Drawing a stark comparison, Obi noted that Türkiye, with a population of about 87 million, roughly a third of Nigeria’s, generates and distributes over 120,000 megawatts of electricity, while Nigeria struggles to produce less than five per cent of that capacity.
“The contrast is both striking and painful,” Obi said, arguing that the Nigerian leadership should focus more on fixing critical problems at home rather than embarking on what he described as serial foreign trips.
He warned that at the current pace, Nigerians might soon hear of presidential trips to far-flung destinations such as Palau or Vanuatu, while fundamental issues like power supply, security and economic stability remain unresolved.
Obi further lamented what he called Nigeria’s unhealthy fixation on the next election cycle, saying the country should instead be preoccupied with demanding accountability, good governance and responsible leadership.
According to him, Nigerians must come together to rescue the country from the indignity and suffering imposed by persistent governance failures, insisting that national renewal is still achievable.
“A New Nigeria is Possible,” Obi declared.