Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, has encouraged Nigerians not to vote for President Bola Tinubu in the upcoming election, citing the president’s own campaign promise that he would be denied a second term if he did not improve energy supplies within four years.
In a tweet on his X account on Saturday, Obi recalled Tinubu’s commitment during the 2023 presidential campaign.
“If I don’t give you constant electricity in four years, don’t vote for me for a second term,” Obi quoted the president as saying.
The former Anambra governor noted that the condition Tinubu set for himself had been met, in the negative, and that Nigerians should hold him to his word.
Obi described the current situation as “a glaring display of disregard for promises and a lack of trust,” claiming that power generation had declined from over 4,000 megawatts when Tinubu took office in 2023, with the average now falling below that figure, while electricity tariffs had risen significantly.
He also referenced data showing Nigeria’s per capita electricity use at 144 kilowatt-hours, compared to an African average of 617 kWh.
“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 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 617 kWh, Nigeria’s is 144 kWh. This means that Nigerians consume less electricity than other Africans,” Obi said.
Obi based his argument on what he characterized as a revealing incident at Jos Airport on Thursday, April 2, 2026, when Tinubu made a brief stay to condole with the relatives of those killed in recent attacks in the city.
According to Obi, the president limited his visit to ten minutes due to a lack of energy at the airport.
“You have no light here — I fly out in ten minutes,” Obi quoted Tinubu as saying.
“At a time when Nigerians are enduring days without power, our leaders cannot even stay a few minutes without it,” Obi wrote, framing the remark as proof of a leadership class detached from the hardship it had imposed on citizens.
He urged Nigerians to use future elections to demand better governance, arguing that the electricity crisis was symptomatic of a broader failure of character and capacity at the top.
“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,” he said.
