Peter Obi Accuses APC Government of Presiding Over Worst Power Outages in Nigeria’s History
By NaijaEnquirer Staff
Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, has strongly criticised the Federal Government over worsening power supply, accusing the administration of presiding over more electricity outages than any government in Nigeria’s history.
Unfulfilled Campaign Promises
In a post on his official X handle on Tuesday, Obi recalled President Tinubu’s December 22, 2022 campaign pledge where he declared: “If I don’t give you constant electricity in the next four years, don’t vote for me for second term.” He noted that instead of improvements, Nigerians have witnessed repeated national grid collapses and blackouts, despite massive financial investments in the sector.
Billions Spent, Little Progress
Obi lamented that Nigeria has spent more on power generation than countries such as Vietnam, Egypt, Indonesia, and Bangladesh, yet failed to achieve comparable progress. While those countries have doubled their generation capacity, Nigeria has stagnated between 4,500MW and 5,000MW despite decades of spending.
Economic Potential of Reliable Power
Highlighting the direct link between electricity and economic growth, Obi argued that Nigeria’s $200 billion GDP could expand by 50 percent if the nation generates at least 10,000MW of electricity. He stressed that prioritising power generation would unlock industrial growth, create millions of jobs, and boost overall productivity.
Criticism of Government Priorities
The former Anambra State governor faulted the administration’s focus on less impactful infrastructure projects. “Rather than focusing on electricity, which will improve our economy, we are building coastal roads that will contribute far less, while factories shut down, jobs disappear, and Nigerians live in darkness,” he stated.
Call to Action
Obi urged the government to urgently prioritise electricity generation and distribution, especially to power small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), which are key drivers of job creation and economic growth. He concluded his statement with optimism, reaffirming his belief in Nigeria’s potential if the right priorities are set.
