Former presidential candidate, who is also a former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, has attributed Nigeria’s perennial national grid collapse and worsening electricity crisis to persistent leadership failures.

Obi made the remarks in a social media post on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, referencing the latest grid collapse.

He pointed out that the problem has been recurring, with multiple of collapse recorded in 2025, and now the crisis has returned in January 2026.

The former presidential candidate highlighted the long-standing underperformance of Nigeria’s power sector, describing it as unacceptable for Africa’s most populous nation.

Obi noted that for three consecutive years—from 2023 through 2025—Nigeria has been ranked as the country with the lowest access to electricity worldwide, leaving nearly 100 million citizens without reliable power.

What Obi is saying 

Obi expressed deep disappointment over Nigeria’s energy situation and emphasized the urgent need for competent leadership in the sector.

“In January 2025, we witnessed the first grid collapse of that year, which was followed by several other collapses. Now in January 2026, the national shame has commenced again with yesterday’s collapse,” he said.

“This power crisis is a direct result of continuous leadership failures. The power sector is critical and requires competent and committed leadership to thrive,” Obi added.

Obi urged Nigerians to prioritise leadership qualities such as competence, accountability, and empathy in future elections.

He stressed that the power sector is crucial for industrialisation, business growth, and improving the quality of life for citizens, and warned that anything less than strong leadership is unacceptable.

Backstory 

Nairametrics reported yesterday that Nigeria was plunged into darkness following the collapse of the national electricity grid, marking the first system failure recorded in 2026.

Data obtained from the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) showed that power generation across the country dropped to 0 megawatts (MW) at about 1:00 pm, indicating a total shutdown of the grid.

The collapse triggered widespread blackouts in many parts of the country, with electricity distribution companies forced to shut down supply to customers as a result of the system failure.

What you should know 

The NISO says Friday’s nationwide power outage was caused by a system-wide disturbance from multiple 330kV transmission line trips and the disconnection of some grid-connected generating units.

NISO said preliminary findings from its operational assessment point to multiple failures on the high-voltage transmission network, which ultimately destabilised the entire system.

Nigeria’s national grid has experienced repeated partial and total collapses in recent years, raising concerns among industry stakeholders and electricity consumers.

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has reportedly affirmed the removal of Julius Abure as the national chairman of the Labour Party, LP.

The Court also ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to recognize the Senator Nenadi Usman-led National Caretaker Committee as the party’s lawful leadership.

The development was disclosed by human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, in a post on X, where he said he was present at the Federal High Court when the judgment was delivered in a related case.

Effiong stated that Justice Lifu delivering judgment on Wednesday, upheld the Nenadi Usman-led committee as the only valid and lawful leadership of the Labour Party, reaffirming that Abure’s tenure had elapsed in line with an earlier Supreme Court judgment.

The court consequently directed INEC to immediately recognize Nenadi Usman as the party’s leader.

He wrote: “I am currently before the Federal High Court in Abuja for a case. I listened to judgement delivered in an another case.

“Honourable Justice Lifu has just upheld Senator Nnadi Esther Usman-led National Caretaker Committee as the only valid and lawful leadership of the Labour Party.

“The Judge reaffirmed that by the Supreme Court’s judgement, Julius Abure’s tenure had since elapsed.

Bare 24 hours after denying reports of the abduction of worshippers from three churches in Kurmin Wali community, Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, the police have reversed their position, admitting that the attack “did occur” and many people were kidnapped.

The police admitted the incident in a Tuesday night statement issued by their spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin. This followed a public condemnation of the police’s initial stance.

Recall that terrorists, loosely referred to as “bandits,” invaded the area on Sunday, 18 January, kidnapping over 160 worshippers.

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) told this newspaper that 172 people were initially abducted but nine escaped and the remaining were marched into a nearby forest.

The statement signed by its spokesperson, Reuben Buhari, listed the affected churches to include the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), Albarka Cherubim and Seraphim 1 and Haske Cherubim and Seraphim 2.

Both the Kaduna State government and the police disagreed with CAN, challenging it to present evidence that there was an abduction.

Addressing reporters on Monday after a security meeting with state authorities, the police commissioner in Kaduna, Muhammad Rabiu, described the incident as a “falsehood which is being peddled by conflict entrepreneurs who want to cause chaos in Kaduna State.”

Also the chairperson of Kajuru Local Government, Dauda Madaki, denied the attack, citing local authorities in the area.

But in the Tuesday night statement, the police said their new position on the incident followed subsequent verification from operational units and intelligence sources.

The Police said efforts were underway to “safely” rescue the victims and restore normalcy to the area.

The Police said the incident generated widespread fear and anxiety, leading the Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, to convene a meeting of the State Security Council at the Government House in Kaduna.

During the meeting, some individuals from the affected local government reportedly disputed earlier reports of the abduction, describing them as false, a development the police said created uncertainty and necessitated further verification.

According to the statement, the abduction had earlier been confirmed by the police, but the conflicting accounts led security agencies to exercise caution before making “conclusive” public statements.

The police explained that comments made by the Commissioner of Police in Kaduna were aimed at preventing “unnecessary panic” while investigations were ongoing.

The remarks, the police added, were not a denial but a response pending confirmation of details, such as the identities and number of those affected.

According to the statement, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has ordered the deployment of additional operational and intelligence assets to the area.

The Police said the response includes the deployment of tactical units, intensified patrols, and targeted search-and-rescue operations.

The Police appealed to the public and the media to rely on official communications for verified information, warning that sensational reporting could “jeopardise ongoing operations or heighten public anxiety.”

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