Political economist condemns persistent electricity crisis, urges voters to look beyond tribal and religious sentiments ahead of 2027 elections.
Renowned political economist, Professor Pat Utomi, has criticised Nigeria’s prolonged electricity crisis, declaring that Nigerians must stop accepting hardship as though it were their national identity.
Utomi said the country cannot achieve meaningful industrialisation, job creation and economic growth without reliable electricity, stressing that steady power supply is a basic requirement for economic development.
He lamented that while electricity providers in developed countries are expected to explain prolonged outages and restore supply within reasonable time, communities across Nigeria can remain without electricity for weeks without adequate explanations.
The political economist also expressed concern over reports that some communities in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos State, had reportedly gone as long as 15 years without electricity.
He questioned the impact of persistent power outages on small businesses, including cold-room operators, barbers, welders, tailors and factory owners, noting that unreliable electricity threatens livelihoods, destroys businesses and contributes to job losses.
Taking a swipe at the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Utomi maintained that Nigerians are not demanding miracles but basic necessities that would enable them to live and work with dignity.
He urged citizens not to allow political propaganda, tribalism or religious affiliations to distract them from the realities of their daily struggles ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to him, Nigerians deserve good roads, functional hospitals, quality education, reliable electricity and a government that recognises public office as a responsibility rather than a privilege.
Utomi, a supporter of Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), urged voters to use the 2027 elections to demand a different political direction.
He argued that Nigerians could either continue with the existing political arrangement or exercise their democratic rights to seek a change of government.
He expressed confidence in Obi’s leadership approach, describing him as committed to accountability, productive investment and putting citizens’ interests first.
Utomi concluded that Nigerians should never be made to believe that suffering is an unavoidable price of being citizens of the country.
