Former Anambra State governor and 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi has stirred fresh political reactions after delivering a passionate speech at the National Democratic Coalition (NDC) dinner held in Abuja on Monday night.
During the event, Obi drew comparisons between Nigeria and South Africa over electricity generation, arguing that Nigerians have become too accustomed to poor power supply despite the country’s low electricity output.
According to him, South Africa generates over 40,000 megawatts of electricity and citizens still complain about power challenges, while Nigeria struggles with around 4,000 megawatts and many citizens continue to endure the situation quietly.
“This is the time for us to come out and complain,” Obi said during the speech.
“What I’m seeing now, I can change it. Those who refuse to count our votes, we’ll count them with it. Our children cannot go on like this. This country must work. People can no longer take us for granted.”
The remarks drew loud applause from attendees at the event as Obi presented himself as a leader capable of addressing Nigeria’s long-standing economic and infrastructure challenges.
He urged Nigerians to stop normalising hardship and instead demand accountability and improved governance from political leaders.
The speech has since generated widespread reactions across social media platforms, with supporters praising Obi for focusing on issues affecting ordinary Nigerians, particularly electricity and economic hardship.
However, critics argued that while the comparison with South Africa highlighted Nigeria’s power problems, the speech lacked detailed policy solutions on how such issues would be resolved.
The development comes amid increasing political activities and coalition discussions ahead of the 2027 general elections, where Obi is expected to remain a major opposition figure.
What You Should Know
Electricity supply remains one of Nigeria’s biggest infrastructure challenges, with businesses and households heavily dependent on generators due to unstable public power supply.
For years, comparisons between Nigeria and South Africa’s electricity generation capacity have been common in political and economic debates.
Peter Obi has consistently used economic and development statistics in his speeches to criticise governance and advocate for reforms focused on productivity, infrastructure and accountability.
