Tinubu’s Jos Remark Confirms 2023 Power Promise Failure — Obi

The Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, has criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over Nigeria’s worsening electricity supply, saying recent remarks by the president validate his earlier campaign promise that Nigerians should not re-elect him if he fails to deliver stable power.

In a statement on Saturday, posted on his verified social media accounts, Obi recalled that during the 2023 campaign, Tinubu had pledged to Nigerians that they should not vote for him for a second term if he failed to provide constant electricity within four years.

Obi argued that the current state of the power sector shows a decline rather than improvement, noting that Nigeria generated over 4,000 megawatts of electricity when Tinubu assumed office in 2023, but now averages less than that figure, while electricity tariffs have increased across the country.

He further stated that Nigeria has one of the lowest per capita electricity consumption rates globally, putting the country below 30 per cent of Africa’s average.

According to him, while Africa’s average electricity consumption stands at about 617 kilowatt-hours (kWh), Nigeria’s is approximately 144 kWh, indicating that Nigerians consume significantly less electricity than citizens of other African countries.

The former Anambra State governor pointed to Tinubu’s recent visit to Jos, Plateau State, following attacks in the area, where the president reportedly spent only a few minutes during a stopover at the airport.

Obi cited the president as saying the short stay was partly due to the lack of electricity at the airport, quoting him as saying, “You have no light here, I fly out in ten minutes.”

He described the remark as a “glaring display of disregard for promises,” adding that it reflects a lack of trust and empathy for Nigerians who endure prolonged periods without electricity.

“At a time when Nigerians are enduring days without power, our leaders cannot even stay a few minutes without it,” Obi said.

He called on Nigerians to reject what he described as incompetent leadership, urging citizens to prioritise leaders with capacity and compassion who can deliver on critical infrastructure such as power supply.