Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has reminded President Bola Tinubu of his campaign vow not to seek re-election if he fails to deliver steady electricity in his first term.
Obi issued the reminder on Wednesday, September 10, via his official X handle, shortly after another nationwide power grid collapse left Nigerians in darkness.
According to him, the All Progressives Congress (APC) government has presided over more power failures than any administration in Nigeria’s history.
In his words: “Lest we forget, If I Don’t Give You Constant Electricity in The Next 4 Years, Don’t Vote For Me For Second Term.”
Obi argued that Nigeria’s power woes remain unresolved despite billions of dollars spent over the years.
He noted that countries like Vietnam, Egypt, Indonesia, and Bangladesh have doubled their power generation and transformed their economies, while Nigeria continues to struggle.
“Yet APC and its current Government have presided over more national grid failures and power outages than any government in our history,” Obi stated.
Meanwhile, repeated blackouts continue to disrupt industries, shut down factories, and cripple small businesses across the country.
The former governor highlighted that Nigeria, with a GDP of about $200 billion, could grow significantly with the right electricity investments.
“Generating even a bare minimum of 10,000MW could raise our GDP by about 50%, which will unlock industrial growth, and create millions of jobs,” he stressed.
However, Obi lamented that the government is prioritising projects like coastal roads that contribute less to economic growth, while critical sectors suffer.
With the 2027 general election drawing closer, Obi’s reminder appears to put pressure on the president to fulfil his campaign promise.
“Mr. President, it is time to prioritise generating and distributing more electricity to power businesses, especially NSMEs, which will create jobs and grow the economy. A New Nigeria is Possible,” he concluded.
During his campaign on December 22, 2022, Tinubu told Nigerians: “If I don’t give you constant electricity in the next four years, don’t vote for me for second term.”
Now, amid worsening power outages, many Nigerians are watching closely to see whether this promise will be fulfilled before 2027.
