•Peter Obi
The 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, has once again condemned the collapse of Nigeria’s national power grid, describing it as a clear indication of leadership failure and poor policy implementation.
His remarks followed the latest grid failure, which left significant parts of the country without electricity.
The national grid reportedly collapsed at about 6:18 pm yesterday, with power generation plummeting from 3.87 gigawatts at 5 pm to 0.00GW by 7 pm, according to checks by our correspondent.
The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company confirmed the incident, which has left many Nigerians in darkness.
The Frontier reports that the national grid again collapsed earlier today, making it the second time in 24 hours.
Taking to X today, Obi expressed his deep frustration, calling the situation a “national shame” and a stark reminder of Nigeria’s fragile power infrastructure.
He said, “For the umpteenth time, the national grid has collapsed, plunging a huge part of the nation into darkness and exposing the fragility of Nigeria’s power infrastructure.
“This recurring disaster is a national shame and a glaring testament to the failure of leadership and policy implementation at the highest levels.”
Obi further argued that the power crisis is a major impediment to Nigeria’s economic stability and growth, particularly affecting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which rely heavily on consistent electricity.
He questioned how long Nigerians would have to endure such a broken system, stating, “How long must Nigerians endure a system that fails to provide one of the critical necessities for a productive society?”
He also pointed out that the persistent collapse of the power grid highlights a deeper governance issue. Obi emphasised that Nigeria, once Africa’s leading economy, has now fallen behind other nations due to leadership failures, including its ongoing power supply challenges.
“Today, we are the fourth largest economy in Africa, having fallen from the number one position due to leadership failure over the years, including the persistent power crisis.
“The disparity in power generation is a reflection of the deep-rooted governance deficit that continues to hold back our growth and potential,” he added.
Comparing Nigeria’s power generation to other African nations like South Africa, Egypt, and Algeria, Obi criticised the vast disparity in output, calling it unacceptable given Nigeria’s size and population.
He stressed that the lack of reliable electricity is a significant obstacle to the country’s economic transformation and urged the government to prioritise urgent reforms in the energy sector.
“Nigerians deserve a government that prioritises measurable indices of development,” he said, calling for a comprehensive overhaul of the power sector to address the ongoing crisis and foster economic progress.
