Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the state of Nigeria’s electricity supply, referencing a campaign promise made ahead of the 2023 election.
In a post shared on X on Saturday, Obi said Tinubu had previously assured Nigerians that he should not be re-elected if he failed to deliver stable electricity within four years in office.
Obi argued that the country’s power situation has worsened since Tinubu assumed office in 2023.
He noted that Nigeria had been generating over 4,000 megawatts of electricity at the time, alongside relatively lower tariffs, but claimed that the current average supply has dropped below that level while electricity costs have increased.
He also highlighted Nigeria’s low electricity consumption per capita, stating that it remains significantly below the African average, with Nigerians consuming far less power compared to citizens in other parts of the continent.
Referencing the President’s recent visit to Jos following a deadly attack, Obi criticised what he described as a contradiction between leadership expectations and reality.
He pointed to Tinubu’s brief stop at the airport, where the absence of electricity was cited as a reason for a short stay, as evidence of the broader challenges facing the country’s power sector.
Obi called for greater accountability in leadership, urging Nigerians to reject leaders he described as lacking both capacity and commitment to improving citizens’ welfare.
Obi wrote, “Tinubu in Jos Confirms ‘Don’t Vote for Me’ Prediction on Power Supply.
“During the 2023 campaign, President Tinubu made a clear electoral promise: ‘If I don’t give you constant electricity in four years, don’t vote for me for a second term.’
“When he took office in 2023, Nigeria had a power supply of over 4,000 megawatts and lower tariffs. Today, the electricity power supply is less than 4,000 megawatts on the average, and Nigerians are paying higher tariffs. Nigeria currently has the lowest per capita electricity consumption in the world, with a rate below 30% of the African average. Africa’s average is 617kwh, Nigeria’s is 144 kWh. This means that Nigerians consume least electricity than other Africans.
“In a glaring display of disregard for promises and a lack of trust, President Tinubu, during a brief airport stopover to visit grieving families of the Jos attack on Thursday, April 2, 2026, stated that one of the reasons for his 10-minute stay was that the airport had no electricity. “You have no light here I fly out in ten minutes” At a time when Nigerians are enduring days without power, our leaders cannot even stay a few minutes without it.
“Now is the time to stop incompetent leaders—those lacking the capacity and compassion—who prioritise their own comfort over the well-being of the people and make empty promises.
“A new Nigeria is POssible. -PO.”
