The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in Nigeria’s 2023 election, Peter Obi has expressed deep concern over the “recurring disaster” of collapse of the national grid, describing it as “a national shame”.

The former Anambra State Governor vented his frustration in a statement on his verified handle on micro-blogging site, X, on Tuesday.

He lamented thus, “This latest power grid collapse is emblematic of a leadership and government that have consistently failed to prioritize the welfare and economic well-being of the people.”

In his view, Nigeria’s economy dropping from first to fourth in Africa could be traced “to leadership failure over the years, including the persistent power crisis, which is critical when compared to smaller economies.”

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Obi wrote, “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.

“How long must Nigerians endure a system that fails to provide one of the critical necessities for a productive society?

“This latest power grid collapse is emblematic of a leadership and government that have consistently failed to prioritize the welfare and economic well-being of the people.

“We all know the immense importance of power supply to the transformation of our economy. Its support to SMEs, which are the engine of job creation and a major contributor to our GDP, is immeasurable.

“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, which is critical when compared to smaller economies.

“South Africa, which is now the largest economy in Africa with a GDP of about $400 billion and 30% of our population, generates and distributes over 40,000 megawatts of electricity.

Secondly, Egypt, the second largest economy with a GDP of about $350 billion and half of our population, generates and distributes over 40,000 megawatts.

“Algeria, the third largest economy, with about 300B GDP and 20% of our population, generates and distributes over 50,000 megawatts of electricity.

“Nigeria, with less GDP but with more population than the 3 countries combined, generates and distributes less than 10,000 megawatts, and even that is riddled with frequent collapses and crises of failure.

“This disparity in power generation is a reflection of the deep-rooted governance deficit that continue to hold back our growth and potential.

“It is time for urgent, comprehensive reform. Nigerians deserve a government that prioritizes measurable indices of development.

“A new Nigeria is POssible. PO.”

Israel’s military has intensified its operations against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, issuing new evacuation orders that affect more than a quarter of the country’s population, according to the U.N. refugee agency.

The expanded military campaign began two weeks ago with incursions aimed at battling the Iran-backed militant group.

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Rema Jamous Imseis, the U.N. refugee agency’s Middle East Director, reported at a press briefing in Geneva that evacuation orders were issued for 20 villages in the south, adding to the mounting humanitarian crisis.

“People are heeding these calls to evacuate, and they’re fleeing with almost nothing,” she said.

Rising Toll on Civilians

Lebanese authorities report at least 2,309 deaths over the past year, with the majority occurring since late September when Israel’s military campaign escalated.

More than 1.2 million people have been displaced across Lebanon. The casualty figures do not differentiate between civilians and combatants.

In contrast, Israeli officials report around 50 deaths, including both civilians and soldiers, attributed to Hezbollah attacks.

Israel has stated that the ongoing operations in Lebanon are necessary to ensure the safe return of residents who fled northern Israel due to the conflict.

Deadly Airstrikes Raise Legal Concerns

The situation escalated further on Monday when Israeli airstrikes in northern Lebanon killed at least 22 people, including 12 women and two children, according to health officials.

The strike targeted a residential building in the Christian-majority town of Aitou, which was sheltering displaced people from other areas.

The U.N. human rights office spokesperson Jeremy Laurence highlighted concerns over potential violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL), urging an investigation into the incident.

He cited the principles of distinction and proportionality, emphasizing the need to protect civilians in conflict zones.

Escalating Violence Amid Regional Tensions

Monday’s airstrike in Aitou is among the deadliest since Israel expanded its military campaign in Lebanon.

Earlier strikes in the southern town of Ain Deleb resulted in over 30 deaths, further intensifying fears of civilian casualties and displacement.

Rescue workers continued to search for bodies in Aitou on Tuesday, reflecting the conflict’s growing toll on the Lebanese population.

The one-year conflict shows no signs of de-escalating as both sides continue to retaliate.

The Nigerian Federal Government clarified on Tuesday that the United Kingdom did not endorse the petition submitted by Mr. Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, regarding the Yoruba Nation movement.

Igboho had recently submitted a petition to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, urging the UK government to consider the creation of a Yoruba nation.

This movement advocates for the establishment of a country predominantly for the indigenous Yoruba people.

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In response to media coverage of the petition, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through its spokesperson, Amb Eche Abu-Obe, issued a statement. It noted that the British High Commissioner in Abuja had been invited to provide clarification on the matter.

“During the meeting , the High Commissioner noted with concern that the matter was over blown, indicating that the media reports were highly misleading.

“Furthermore, the High Commissioner informed that he was aware of the letter being delivered but added that it was merely an established practice of allowing the delivery of letters and petitions to No 10.

“It was not endorsed by any agency of the UK government nor the UK Parliamentary Petitions Committee.

“The UK government typically does not concern itself with petitions concerning the sovereign affairs of another country,” Abu-Obe said.

Abu-Obe quoted the high commissioner to have informed that such petitions had been rejected by the UK Parliamentary Petitions Committee and the UK Government in the past.

He further agreed to continue liaising with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as needed, while reiterating the importance of the bilateral relations between the United Kingdom and Nigeria.