Peter Obi has invoked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's 2023 campaign promise to urge Nigerians not to re-elect him, citing deteriorating power supply and rising electricity tariffs. During the presidential campaign, Tinubu had said, "If I don't give you constant electricity in four years, don't vote for me for a second term." At the time he assumed office in 2023, Nigeria's electricity generation was above 4,000 megawatts, but now averages below that level despite higher tariffs. Obi cited data showing Nigeria's per capita electricity consumption at 144 kWh, far below the African average of 617 kWh. He described the situation as a sign of broken commitment, especially after Tinubu, during a brief visit to Jos on April 2, 2026, remarked, "You have no light here I fly out in ten minutes," while cutting short a trip to console families affected by an attack.
Tinubu's airport comment exposes a disconnect few can afford to ignore—while he cuts visits short over power outages, millions endure them daily without recourse. His own benchmark for re-election now hangs over his administration as generation dips and tariffs rise. For Nigerians, this isn't just hypocrisy—it signals that campaign promises are treated as disposable. When a president uses darkness as a reason to leave, but expects citizens to live in it, accountability can't be switched off.
