Headlines
Peter Obi Blames Leadership Failures for National Grid Collapse, Power Crisis
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 Supreme Court has vacated the order of the Court of Appeal which barred the recognition of David Mark as the National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress, ADC.
The apex court on Thursday held that the preservative order by the Court of Appeal was in bad faith, unnecessary, unwarranted and improper.
In a unanimous judgment of the Supreme Court, Justice Mohammed Lawal Garba held that the Court of Appeal ought not to have made such order because it was not sought by any of the parties in the matter.
The Court of Appeal had issued an order of status quo antem bellum upon which the ADC exco under David Mark was de-recognized by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
With the vacation of the order, David Mark and the other national officers are to be recognized as ADC leaders by the electoral body.
The convention produced the Tanimu Turaki-led factional national executives of the party.
Attention has shifted to the Supreme Court, which has fixed April 30 (today) for judgment in the leadership tussle within the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
A five-member panel led by Justice Mohammed Garba will resolve the appeal filed by the David Mark-led faction concerning the authentic leadership of the party.
Also on Thursday, the court is expected to determine the leadership dispute rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Two PDP factions—one led by Kabir Turaki and the other by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike—are laying claim to the leadership of the party.
The Supreme Court had on April 22 reserved judgment in the ADC crisis to a date to be communicated to the parties involved in the tussle.
However, on Tuesday, the ADC formally wrote to the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, pleading for the quick delivery of judgment in the leadership tussle at the national level.
The party claimed it would suffer irreparable harm if judgment in the protracted battle was not delivered within the period allowed by the Electoral Act for fielding candidates for the 2027 general elections.
It stated in part: “Without the delivery of judgment within the next three days from the date of this letter, the ADC stands the grave and irreversible risk of being excluded from participating in the 2027 general elections.
“This would disenfranchise millions of Nigerians who have subscribed to the ideals of the ADC and deny them their constitutional right to freely associate and contest elections through a political party of their choice.”
At the April 22 hearing, Jibrin Okutepa, SAN, who represented David Mark, urged the Supreme Court to allow the appeal, arguing that the apex court had earlier, on March 21, 2025, held that “no court has jurisdiction to entertain matters bordering on the internal affairs of political parties.”
During the hearing, Okutepa urged the apex court to hold that the Federal High Court in Abuja lacked jurisdiction to entertain the suit.
However, Robert Emukperu, SAN, who represented the first respondent, Nafiu Gombe, urged the court to dismiss the appeal and affirm the judgment of the lower court, which held that the suit was premature.
It will be recalled that a three-member panel of the Court of Appeal dismissed Mark’s appeal, ruling that it was premature and filed without leave of the trial court.
In the PDP matter, the first appeal, marked SC/CV/164/2026, stems from a decision of Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, who restrained the party from proceeding with its planned convention pending the determination of a suit filed by former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido.
On November 14, the court issued a final order restraining the PDP from conducting its national convention.
Justice Lifu held that Lamido was “unjustly denied” the opportunity to obtain a nomination form to contest for national chairman, in violation of the PDP constitution and internal regulations.
The Court of Appeal later upheld the decision on March 9, prompting the PDP to appeal.
The second appeal, SC/CV/166/2026, was filed by the PDP, its National Working Committee (NWC), and National Executive Committee (NEC).
It arose from a judgment delivered by Justice James Omotosho, which stopped the party from holding its Ibadan national convention.
The Court of Appeal upheld that decision, agreeing that INEC should not validate the outcome of the convention.
After hearing all arguments, the Supreme Court reserved judgment, stating that the date would be communicated to the parties.
